All Thanks To Red Hue
by ShadowAssassin41
Summary: Red Hue: where we bring color into your love life. Or at least that's what the commercial said. Hikaru knows that he can't have Haruhi, so he gives the website a shot. He meets a woman by the name of Ripley Barrett, who he starts to form a connection with. But when he actually meets her, she's not what he was expecting. Hikaru/OC
1. Finding A Spark

**So, this would be my second story on the Host Club fandom. It's a Hikaru/OC fanfic, so I hope you enjoy it. I really don't know where I got this idea from, but I made it up while watching a walkthrough for one of the Fallout: New Vegas DLCs. Don't ask me how I connected Host Club to Fallout, but I did somehow. So, anyways, like I said before, I hope you enjoy it. And review, please, it makes any writer on extremely happy.**

**Disclaimer: OHSHC belongs to Bisco Hatori because it I owned it, I would still be popping out volumes...and more anime...**

* * *

**Step #1:**

**Finding A Spark**

**...\~/...**

He hated being rejected. It took a total of three times in love and a handful of failed dates to finally come to this conclusion. Another thing he knew for sure was that his friends had all found someone to cuddle up against on the couch during movie night or leave cheesy Post-Its on the fridge, telling each other to have a good day or to buy milk because the last jug's gone dry. He hated hearing (though he always kept this hatred secret) his brother constantly talk to him over the phone about how he and his girlfriend did this and he and his girlfriend did that and blah, blah, blah. Hell, even Hunny-senpai, who was always deemed cute and the not-boyfriend material had a wife! Don't get him wrong, he was happy for everyone, but being alone and watching everyone interact with their significant other...it got to him after awhile.

Hikaru sighed as he swished his latte around in the Styrofoam cup, chin resting in the palm of his hand. The café he had grown fond of was unusually busy today, but then again, all the college students were hanging out before the Christmas holiday began. His golden eyes scanned the area, frowning when he saw a couple practically joined at the hip in one of the booths, making out without a care in the world. He found it mesmerizing and bothersome at the same time, but he couldn't help but watch. Her fingers were making their way into his hair, entangling themselves, and his hands were grasping tightly onto her waist, one gliding up the side of her body, and cupping...hmm...

"Excuse me, don't you think that belongs in a bedroom?" Hikaru shouted from his seat. "There are people trying to eat here!"

The couple broke apart, the boyfriend sending a dirty look in Hikaru's direction before whispering something to the overly embarrassed girlfriend. Hikaru watched the two of them slide out of their booth, hurrying out of the café, hand in hand. Hikaru frowned, resuming his scanning of the room, eyes flicking from table to table, booth to booth. It seemed like every couple in New York City seemed to have gotten together at this café just to torture him. Every single one of them was touching, kissing, cuddling, doing everything a normal couple would do. And it was beginning to piss him off!

"Um, sir, is everything okay?" a small voice asked.

Hikaru looked up, snapping out of his thoughts to see a young woman standing at the other side of his table. She was cute; dark brown hair that reached her shoulder with big, brown eyes that reminded him of a doe. She even reminded him of a certain brunette that he met six years ago in classroom 1-A. He gave her a reassuring smile, faking an optimistic attitude. "Oh, everything is all right. I've just had a long week and I was just lost in thought." He sat up straighter. "Is there something you needed?"

"Oh, no, I just wanted to make sure you were okay. That's all. Glad to see that you are."

Hikaru smiled, this time it was a genuine one. It had been a long time since a girl actually showed some concern for him. Maybe he could buy her a drink or-_bzzzz...bzzzz..._ He watched the girl jump a little, then root through her purse, trying to find the source of the buzzing. Hikaru watched her take out her vibrating phone and he internally cringed when she mouthed that single word-_boyfriend. _She gave a small wave before leaving the café. The ash-haired young man lowered his head, his hair shielding his eyes from the surrounding people. He slid off his stool and threw his coffee away before pushing the exit door open, a cold wind inviting him to the outside world.

At least the bitter cold was better than the suffocating mushiness from inside the café...

**...\~/...**

New York City was beautiful around Christmas time. The city took the time and energy to set up lights everywhere and the Rockefeller was undergoing some changes that would definitely draw tourists from around the nation. Hikaru smiled appreciatively; he had made a good choice in studying graphic designing at New York's School of Visual Arts. He remembered the time in Spain when he and Kaoru had finally decided what they wanted to become- Hikaru a video game designer and Kaoru had decided to follow in their mother's footsteps and study in fashion. His little brother had moved back to Japan while Hikaru registered for his visa and moved to New York, New York. Well, it had been a year since then, and everyone still kept in touch. Hikaru stopped at the crosswalk, standing behind a cluster of people waiting to get to their destinations. Hikaru put all his weight on one foot, shoving his hands into his pockets, and he couldn't help but think about how his brother and the other Host Club members were doing.

Hunny had gone back to Japan with Mori to continue his education in engineering. The last time Hikaru heard from him, Hunny was doing well, excelling in all his classes, as well as already having a job in nuclear engineering at the ready. His little senpai had recently married to the creepy, curse-loving Reiko Kanazuki; weirdly enough, they completed each other, which made them incredibly cute together. And then there was Mori, who had successfully managed to land a job with a law firm that paid excellent money. It didn't take him long to build up a reputation and he had clients calling him every day, asking him to defend them. From what Hunny had told him, Mori's quietness was his strong point, making others think that he didn't have anything good to say, then suddenly spitting out evidence that lead to his client's innocence. Hikaru promised to visit them both in Japan some time and watch Mori do his work; heard it was quite the spectacle.

Then, there was Kaoru. As mentioned before, he had moved back to Japan to study under their mother, and develop his own clothing lines. Hikaru knew his brother was doing exceptionally well because he constantly saw women in New York walk around with his labels on, looking warm and comfortable. During one of his photo shoots, Kaoru had become taken to one of the models that a fellow designer had hired to walk down the catwalk. His little brother asked her out, managed to charm her, and now they were dating. Hikaru never really cared for her because she was overly dependent and too needy for his tastes. Plus, she had that nasally voice, when added with the constant whining, quickly got on his nerves whenever she and Kaoru came to visit. But she made his brother happy, so that's why he put up with her.

Surprisingly, the person Hikaru visited most often was Kyoya and his girlfriend, Tara. Their former vice-president was currently studying at Harvard, earning his business major with a minor in medicine. Like always, Kyoya had an ingenious plan, consisting of him buying out the Ootori business from under his father, ruling the coop with an iron fist. He was finally going to achieve his dream of both owning the company and succeeding his brothers. However, the minor in medicine came from his philosophy that all business owners should have some kind of experience in the field or else they were worthless. His girlfriend, whom everyone was pretty sure Kyoya was going to marry, was studying at one of Boston's culinary academies. She had finally decided that her passion in cooking was going to be her lifetime career and both Hikaru and Kyoya had the pleasure of trying out any recipe she cooked up. She was also earning a business degree, taking online classes at Harvard, so in the future she could manage her own restaurants. The couple were slowly becoming masters in what they were studying; Hikaru hoped that he would too.

Finally, there were the newlyweds, Tamaki and Haruhi. Their wedding was the most recent and truthfully, even amongst all the joy and happiness, Hikaru had found himself to be miserable all throughout his visit. Watching Haruhi's father lead her down the aisle on the wedding day had caused his insides to churn and a painful coil in the pit of his stomach writhe uncomfortably. She had looked beautiful, all gussied up in pure, virgin white. And he had been angry that day, questioning what Tamaki had that he didn't. Was it Tamaki's natural good-natured attitude that she was attracted to? Was it his uncanny ability to make even the most grave of situations better or at least bearable? At the reception, he had drunk his questions and worries away, eventually being carried away by Mori because he had drunk himself senseless. From what his brother had told him afterwards, his actions had embarrassed the hell out of Haruhi. She was the one person he hadn't called in awhile.

"Hey, watch it, buddy!" someone shouted beside him. Hikaru's thoughts were interrupted when a passerby shoved past him roughly, rudely bumping shoulders with him. That's when he realized that the walking signal had lit up on the other side of the street. He followed the crowd, rushing across the crosswalk, making it to the opposite curb right when the signal switched to 'stop'. The cold wind nipped at his cheeks, causing him to duck his head, popping the collar of his coat up. Thankfully, his apartment was only a couple of blocks away and not that far of a walk from his favorite café.

He knew he was getting close to his apartment when the smell of fresh bagels filled his nose. The bakery at the corner of the street he lived on was aglow, looking warm and comfortable on the inside. He had only gone in a couple times to pick up a quick breakfast and the owners were extremely kind, always asking questions about his day when he went in. Sometimes, they would come up to his apartment, dropping off bags of bagels for him just because they were impressed by him. Their visits always made his days a bit better.

Hikaru stopped outside his apartment building when he saw something out of the ordinary. A bulking silver Ford truck was parked at one of the meters, jutting out dangerously into the lane. Hikaru winced when a car whizzed by it, barely grazing the back bumper by a couple of inches. That was the one thing he didn't like about the city: the small streets.

But there was only one reason why a Ford was parked outside: Kyoya and Tara had come for a visit.

**...\~/...**

He couldn't help but smile when he heard their bickering from the inside. With Tara's short temper and Kyoya's irritating ability to have a response (usually stated in a way that made you feel like an idiot) for everything, the two always had arguments, amusing to the max. It was a wonder how they managed to survive for so long, especially since the two were polar opposites. But whenever he asked Kyoya, the ex-vice would always reply he had never been shot at and never wanted to experience the thrill of being so. Hikaru leaned against the door, crossing his arms casually, listening in on their conversation.

"It's a wonder that you haven't been arrested yet, my love." came Kyoya's voice.

"Well, I wasn't going to sit around and wait for him to get home out in the cold." Hikaru wouldn't admit it, but he had missed Tara's southern drawl.

"You broke into his apartment. What is that called again? Breaking and entering?"

"I could've kicked his door in, but I didn't want to embarrass you, hun."

"How thoughtful of you and I'm sure I'm going to be the one to pay the ticket when the police realize that the parking meter's time expired, hm, about a half hour ago?"

"...let's hope they don't notice..."

"Hm, we shall."

Hikaru turned the knob and opened the door, revealing his homey apartment. Kyoya looked up from the couch, glasses glinting from the sunlight pouring in from the window. A book was propped on his knee, opened about halfway. He was dressed in a simple black button-up and jeans, a large difference compared to his usual way of dress. But Hikaru's eyes didn't stay long on Kyoya when he noticed his coffee table and grinned. "Your girlfriend always manages to make my day, Kyoya-senpai." His coffee table was decorated with serving trays and glasses of desserts-pastries, gelatos, cakes, and every other sweet delicacy. Each cupcake and cake were frosted with vibrant colors and fruits lined the outside of the cakes. His apartment smelled of apple caramel, pecan, and peach pie. And he had never seen so much chocolate in his life: chocolate cheesecakes with strawberries, fruits drizzled with the sweet substance, chocolate-flavored desserts displayed in crystal clear serving glasses.

"I apologize about breaking into your apartment." Kyoya started, but then he eyed the desserts displayed out in front of him. "But I think it was for good reason."

"Tara's cooking is always a good reason."

He heard hurried footsteps and Tara appeared from the kitchen, holding two platters in her hands, one lined with fruit tarts and the other with mini-cakes. "Finally, you're here." she said, sliding the platters into place. "Where the hell were you? You should know when we're coming."

"Sorry, Tara-senpai, that I don't possess a sixth sense for your surprise visits."

"Hm, you're forgiven." That's when she put her fists on her hips. "Well, are you two just gonna sit there and drool? Dig in."

And they did that exactly; well, Kyoya dug in with as much poise as he could. Hikaru bit into a fruit tart, the crisp, sweet crust clashing with the tart taste of the berries within. He loved their visits, probably because they always left him with his stomach full and a fridge full of Tara's latest concoctions. He sometimes wished he had a personal chef running around the apartment, ready to make him anything he wanted with the simple snap of his fingers. Kyoya had mentioned something about Tara going through the dessert process at her culinary school. It was a wonder why his senpai wasn't fat yet. But it wasn't only the food that he enjoyed, it was their company too. It got lonely being cooped up in his apartment with no one to talk to and they always had something to talk about so conversations never went dead or awkward. Plus, they were the only couple he could stand to be around; everyone else always flirted and threw themselves on each other when they were around, practically rubbing their relationships in his face, but Kyoya and Tara weren't the kind of people to display their affections out in public to which he appreciated enormously.

Tara gave a smirk when she noticed the delight on Hikaru's face when he bit into one of her decorated cupcakes. "In a couple weeks, we'll be getting into the candy-making process. Hikaru, you're going to be my guinea pig because this bastard right here doesn't like sweets." She gave Kyoya's foot a swift kick. "I try and make my desserts as tart as I can, but that's kind of hard to do. They're called sweets for a reason." That's when Tara got real excited, sitting on the edge of her chair. "Oh, and I made my first attempt at making Baked Alaska last night."

"Emphasis on the 'attempt' part." Kyoya stated coolly. That earned him a slap to the arm.

"Rather emphasis on the 'first' part." Kyoya smirked in her direction and his girlfriend turned his head towards the pies. "Try the peach pie. You'll like it."

"And how did it go?" Hikaru asked when he finally cleared his mouth. He didn't feel like being scolded for talking with a full mouth.

"How've you been, Hikaru? Anything interesting happening in your classes." Hikaru couldn't help but grin at that. She had changed the subject so he immediately assumed her attempt at making Baked Alaska didn't go very well. He chomped down on a chocolate cake he had had his eyes on ever since he entered his apartment, savoring the bittersweet of the chocolate that melted on his tongue. Once he swallowed everything in his mouth, he replied, "We're just learning how to draw landscapes right now. I've been taking pictures of Central Park and drawing them. My favorite coffee shop's also a pretty good place to draw."

"I envy your ability to draw. Kyoya's too. But, at least I have the ability to make art with food." Tara said.

A screeching noise came from his kitchen. Tara stood up and said, "Tea's done."

Once Tara left the room, Kyoya voiced something that Hikaru wished he wouldn't. "Has anyone caught your eye yet?"

"No." Simple as that. After the incident with Haruhi, he hadn't been that interested in women. Even though he hated being alone, there never seemed to be any girls that caught his eye. He was getting picky, always comparing girls that passed by to Haruhi, and they always seemed to fail to surpass her. He wanted the doe, brown eyes, he wanted the blunt honesty, he wanted the charm of a commoner. It wasn't that he hadn't tried dating again, it was just that every girl he took out reminded him of one of his customers during the Host Club, and he wasn't exactly interested in that kind of girl. And it wasn't that he hadn't loved again...or at least thought it was love. Hikaru knew that he was torturing himself with the thoughts of Haruhi and how he would never be able to have her, but it couldn't be helped: he was still hopelessly in love with her.

"Don't tear yourself up about it. Just get through school and focus on your studies." Kyoya said.

Hikaru smirked, "Yes, _mother._"

"Please, don't call me that dreadful name."

Tara returned with tea, pouring them each a cup. "By the way, I took the time to go grocery-shopping for you. You're fridge was looking a bit bare and I know you haven't been able to grasp the concept of shopping in a commoner's place yet. I also took the initiative to leave you leftovers," Leftovers were like banquets. "And I also left behind some of recipes. They should be pretty simple."

"You guys should just move in with me." Hikaru suggested.

"You wish, but that won't happen or rather it can't. Kyoya's pretty busy at school." Tara replied.

"Also, Tara already has several restaurants reserving a spot for her in their kitchens." Kyoya added.

"I need to get a job." Hikaru muttered.

"My dad has an opening at his bakery. He'll teach you how to cook and I'm sure you'll fit in great. The staff there is top-notch, but they're really nice." Tara said.

Alexander's Café, plain name, but it was one of the top five places of interest pertaining to food in New York. The café was known for their pleasant staff and Nathan Alexander, Tara's father, was said to always come out and interact with the customers. And the food was to die for. It seemed that the Alexander family was full of natural-born chefs. Hikaru had the honor of meeting Nathan when Tara and Kyoya had first come to visit and Tara dragged them both to the café. Tara was the splitting image of her father: sandy blonde hair, vivid blue-green eyes, tall statures, but Nathan was more laid-back and care-free while his daughter was bossy and sarcastic. The café wasn't that far a distance from his apartment and he knew that Nathan would give him a job.

"I'll think about it."

**...\~/...**

He was alone again. Kyoya and Tara had left him so they could visit her father before they returned back to Massachusetts. Now, Hikaru had to figure out what to do with all the food they left him. He wondered if the bakery next door would give him pastry boxes so he could at least put all the desserts away. Hikaru pulled on his coat and gloves, hoping that the temperature hadn't dropped since he was out last. That was another thing he hated about New York- the bitter cold. Even though he loved snow and all the festivities and hobbies winter provided, the cold made him hate winter the most out of the four seasons.

Hikaru grabbed his keys from the table beside the door, stepping out at exactly the same time as the girl next door. He racked his brain for her name and he swore it started with an S...Stephanie...Sally...no, Selena... Well, if she started to talk to him, he'd have to avoid saying her name. The girl hadn't noticed him yet so he had the chance to admire her from behind. She had long, silky, auburn hair that had a braided circlet surrounding her head. She had a slender shape with just the right curves and killer legs. Not to mention a nice backside... The girl straightened and turned, Hikaru turning towards his door at the same time. There was no way he was going to let her see him checking her out.

"Oh, Hikaru, how are you?" she asked.

The ash-haired man turned around, flashing her one of his signature smiles. "Oh, you know, the usual. You?"

"Pretty good. Where are you headed?"

They had started down the stairs now, taking their time to chat. He noticed how she was wearing one of the coats his brother had made for his Winter Collection. She looked real good in navy blue.

"I'm going to the bakery. My friend, who's going through culinary school, brought over a ton of desserts, but didn't leave anyway to put it all away."

"Was that the blonde girl? I saw her earlier with her...brother?"

"Boyfriend. He's another friend of mine. His name's Kyoya and her name's Tara, by the way." Brother? They looked nothing alike!

"My mistake." she giggled. "Well, now that I know they're a couple, they're actually pretty cute together. Do you have anyone special, Hikaru? I bet you do."

Hikaru gave her a forced smile, "Nope, still single."

They had reached the bottom of the stairs, both heading towards the exit. Hikaru eyed her, wondering if she was single too. Might as well give it a shot. "Hey, um, you want to get together tonight? I'm thinking about renting some movies and making dinner. Interested?" Dinner? He couldn't even cook. And renting movies? That's what commoners did when they were bored, right? More questions started popping into his head, like what kind of movies did she like? Or was she one of those people that only like seeing them in theaters rather than watching them in some stranger's house? But the look on her face, the way it lit up when he asked her, and the way she nodded her head enthusiastically gave him the answer.

"Sure! Is it funny that I was actually going to ask you out soon? I've always found you attractive."

"Heh, thanks. Does six sound alright to you?"

"Yeah! I'll definitely be there." And before she left, she added, "Oh, I thought I should let you know, I like comedies." And she was off.

Hikaru stood there, holding the door open for no one. The cold hit his face in a full-out blast and he suddenly found the journey to the bakery unappealing. Plus, he had other things to worry about. The lonely twin rushed back upstairs, hurried into his apartment, and pulled out his cellphone quickly. The phone buzzed on the other side twice before a smooth voice entered his ear.

"_Ootori._"

"Hey, Kyoya, are you and Tara still in New York?"

**...\~/...**

"You are so goddamned lucky that we hadn't left yet or you'd definitely be screwed."

Hikaru didn't respond, wondering how Kyoya was doing with the movie-picking. The man had immediately looked up the top 10 comedies and rushed over to the local movie rental store as soon as Tara was dropped off. Hikaru had no idea why he was panicking the way he was; he assumed it was because he wanted to impress this girl. He failed to impress Haruhi and snag her (instead, she fell for that loon of a man), and he didn't want a repeat of that. He had no idea if he was even interested in this girl. For all he knew, she could actually be a slob, or a serial killer. Oh God, what if she actually was a serial killer? Was he going to be her next target? Hikaru began running his fingers frantically, gritting his teeth in frustration. He could only imagine the many ways he could be tortured. What if she was...

"AH! Tara, what was that for?" Hikaru yelled, balancing on his left foot while caressing his now tender right shin. He could practically feel a bruise forming. The ash-haired twin mentally noted that he would have to mark off 'be kicked by a soccer player' on his bucket list.

"You weren't listening to me."

"What? What do you want?"

"I asked you what you wanted for dinner?"

"I don't know. Uh, a regular Bento lunch...?"

"You know what, I want Italian."

"Tara! It's not your goddamn date!" He rushed after Tara, "And what do you mean _you _want Italian? What? Are you and Kyoya going to spy on me and my date?" The blonde stopped abruptly on the way to the kitchen, causing Hikaru to run into her. She turned towards him, giving him that devious grin she always got when she was planning something. Her grin equaled to Kyoya's true smile on the scary scale. Tara turned back around and headed towards the kitchen once more. "You are, aren't you? Ugh, why do you have to be so freakin' nosy?"

"Because it's in my blood." Hikaru watched her pull pots and pans of all kinds from the cabinet beside the sink, setting them on the stove. She turned on the water in the sink, positioning a pot beneath the water stream. "And this is the first time in awhile that you've been on a date. Do you really think I'm going to miss this?"

"Well, I kind of want you to..."

The clattering of the pans stopped when he said that.

"Fine. I'll cook dinner, then leave, but-" There's always a 'but'. "You have to fill me in on the details in the morning. It's too late to head back home now so Kyoya and I are staying at a hotel. We're leaving at ten tomorrow. I'll cook you breakfast. And-" There was always an 'and' with Tara. "The next time we come over, we're renting a John Wayne film."

"Another one?" He didn't even try to hide the whine in his voice.

Tara pointed a finger at him, "I don't want to hear any whining. John Wayne is a fabulous actor and you know it."

"Alright, fine. I'll do it, just finish cooking." Hikaru said, waving his hand for her to continue.

**...\~/...**

Dinner looked fantastic. Everything Italian was spread out across the island table in the kitchen and the smell was almost unbearable, but in the good way. Several times, his neighbors came by, asking what in the world he was cooking to which Tara sent them home with stomachs full of pasta and oregano tomato sauce.

It was now five fifty-six; four more minutes until his date. Kyoya had returned awhile back, bearing a stack of comedies for Hikaru. There was also one horror film that he picked, "Uh, Kyoya-sempai, she said she likes comedies..." Then it had hit him. "Ohhhh, you're thinking that if I watch it with her, she'll get scared, and jump into my arms for comfort. Very cliché, but very effective."

"Unfortunately, _not _on everyone." Kyoya had replied, glasses catching the light of the Fluorescent lights while sending a glare towards his girlfriend. Thankfully for him, it had gone unnoticed.

It was now five fifty-eight; two more minutes until his date.

"Are you nervous, Hikaru? Do you need a handkerchief to wipe off the sweat on your forehead?" Kyoya asked, looking up at him from his touch-screen phone.

"A bit." Hikaru's mind, which was rather one-track, went back to his thoughts on Haruhi. He remembered their date in Karuizawa and how it had started off rough, then progressed into smooth, then went back to rough after he ran off. He hoped that he and the girl could pass the awkward stage. Hikaru definitely hoped that he wouldn't cause the girl to cry or run out of his apartment angry...or jump out his window...

"Are you comparing your date with Haruhi with the one you haven't even had yet?"

Damn Kyoya and his irritating ability to read minds.

"No..."

Damn Kyoya and that knowing smirk of his.

There was a knock at the door and all three of them turned towards the noise.

"Well, that's our cue to leave." Tara said, wiping her hands on her jeans. She grabbed her coat from the chair, slipping it on. "C'mon, Kyoya."

"Yes, my love."

Hikaru was the one to answer the door. The girl turned towards him, giving him her biggest smile. Her auburn hair was pinned up, strands framing her face. For some unknown reason, her eyes reminded him of an owl, wide and curious. She was wearing a simple red cardigan over a white blouse with a pair of nice jeans and moccasins.

"Hi!" she greeted sweetly.

"Hey." he replied, trying to sound as cool as possible.

"Hey, dumbass, get out of the way. We have to go." Tara said from behind.

Hikaru side-stepped, allowing Tara and Kyoya to step out. "Oh, hey, I'm Sarah, Hikaru's neighbor."

Tara gave her a small smile, the best that she could manage. The blonde was not known for her smiles. "I'm Tara, Hikaru's friend. Sorry about this; Hikaru invited us over for dinner. He said that he made too much for your date tonight. I hope you like Italian."

"My favorite type of cuisine." She giggled, adding, "Did you actually cook. Hikaru mentioned something about you going through culinary school."

"Oh...yeah..."

Kyoya stepped forward, swiftly taking Sarah's hand, pressing his lips to her knuckles. A blush spread across her cheeks. "And I'm Kyoya Ootori, very pleased to meet you."

"Y-Yeah..." Sarah sputtered out.

Kyoya pressed his hand to the small of Tara's back, pushing her forward.

"How come you never greeted me like that when I first met you?" Tara asked him as they headed down the stairs.

"You seemed to be the type to slap a person if they ever pulled that move on you."

"You're probably right. Good thing you never tried."

Hikaru smirked when their voices faded. He looked at Sarah, who was looking at him, and he bowed slightly, gesturing for her to walk in. She smiled at him, taking the invitation. Once he closed the door behind them, one thing ran through his mind.

Operation Find A Spark.


	2. Awkward, Smooth, Awkward, ABORT!

**Step #2:**

**Awkward, Smooth, Awkward, ABORT IMMEDIATELY!**

**...\~/...**

Hikaru felt nervous having a girl in his apartment. The last time he had an attractive female over was about a month ago, but every time she had tried to get close to him, he would shirk away, like he was disgusted by her. However, that girl had had the annoying tendency to blab about her life too much; it had kind of freaked him out when he learned that she had lost her virginity to her second cousin twice removed. But in high school, he had feigned romance with his own twin brother, so who was he to judge? Well, obviously it had been his previous date, because she had thrown wine in his face when he said something about it. Then, as Hikaru slid the DVD into the player, he thought about all his other dates. There had been one girl that screamed at him in public for being three minutes late, exclaiming that the only way she would've forgave his lack of punctuality was that if he had died on the way over. The flowers he had gotten her (the cause of his tardiness) had calmed her raging anger, but after the date had been over, she admitted to him that she hadn't really found him attractive in the first place, and had _skipped _off after saying so. Then, there had been that girl that had acted more like a man than a lady...another had _actually been a guy _without him knowing until "she" walked into the men's bathroom with him...another had flirted with every other guy _but _him... Hikaru felt himself glance over at Sarah as he turned out the lights. He hoped she didn't have some nasty fetish or lost her virginity to a family member or...was actually an alien from outer space that only wanted to get close to him so she could cut him open and...and...

"So, I hope you like the movie." he said finally, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

"Oh, the one you picked out is one of my all-time favorites, so you did well in the pickin'." Sarah replied.

He could tell she was nervous too by the way she sat. She had perched herself on the edge of the couch, rather than sinking into it casually, like she came over all the time. Her frail-looking hands were folded in her lap politely, but her feet were planted flat on the floor, looking like she was ready to sprint if he yelled at her to get out. And her eyes scanned the whole room, but never rested on him. Hikaru wondered if this was her first date in awhile too. Or was this her first date altogether? The thought of this being her first date gave him a sense of comfort, causing him to relax a little. When he sat down, he stretched his right arm out on top of the sofa. That's when she leaned back, his fingers accidentally brushing against her shoulder.

"Sorry." they both muttered to each other.

She still hadn't shrugged off the bag that she brought with her. Was she waiting for him to say something?

"Do you want me to take your bag?" he asked.

Sarah shook her head, "Oh, no, don't worry about it." He watched her slide the straps of her shoulder, laying the bag beside her thigh. Hikaru wasn't even paying attention to the TV; he was wondering about what she had in her bag. Maybe she was a clean person and carried hand-sanitizer, clean wipes, and tissues like one of his friends from high school did. He expected her to have a cell phone of some kind, probably with some cutesy covering on it. He tensed at his next thought: what if she had a gun? His mind wandered to a show he watched once about a girl that carried a handgun in her purse and followed her boyfriend into the bathroom and shot him. Hikaru stared intently at her purse, searching for an outline of a weapon, but failed to find one. What if Sarah was one of those crazy people that shot the people she was pissed off at? Oh God, what if _he _pissed her off tonight?

"Is there something wrong?" Sarah asked.

Hikaru jumped and gave a small, nervous smile. "Yeah, I'm fine. Enjoying the movie so far?"

"Um, it hasn't even started yet... Have you been watching?"

Oh, awkward. "I have to go to the bathroom." That came out rushed.

"Oh, okay."

Hikaru practically jumped up and hurried to the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. His hands grasped the rim of the sink and he stared at himself in the mirror. What he saw wasn't what he wanted to see. His natural hair color was beginning to show through the dark ash, reminding him that he needed to take a trip to the store and get some more hair dye. The bags that were beginning to form under his golden eyes were something to grimace at. Sleep was becoming a foreign thing to him, his mind never shutting down with thoughts of all the bad times swirling around in his skull kept him awake most of the time. And his eyes...his eyes looked...empty. The last time he talked to Kaoru over video chat, his airhead of girlfriend came bumbling in, and commented about how his eyes looked sad. Now that he was actually looking at his face, his eyes were missing that usual liveliness he always seemed to have. How a beautiful woman like Sarah found him attractive, he surely didn't know.

Sarah. He was being a rude host and he could almost hear Tamaki's voice echoing inside his head, chastising him for keeping a lady waiting. Hikaru couldn't help but smirk at that, though he quickly dropped it. Tamaki. Hikaru's thoughts quickly turned back to Tamaki and Haruhi's wedding reception, specifically when Mori carried him out. He had been sober enough to see the disappointed look on the blonde's face before the doors had swung shut behind him. That had been the last time he saw Tamaki and Haruhi, and it had been on a bad note. Haruhi. What would she say to him now? Hikaru turned on the water, splashing his face with the warm, steaming water, allowing it to drip off the tip of his nose, and into the sink below. Drying of his face, Hikaru opened the door, and sauntered back out to the living room. By then, the movie had actually started, and Sarah was already smiling goofily.

Hikaru told himself he wouldn't think of Haruhi for the rest of the night.

If he did, he'd pinch himself.

The woman beside him burst into a fit of giggles, covering her mouth like she was trying to keep them contained. He couldn't help but laugh too, but he couldn't decide what he was laughing at- her laugh or the movie. Hikaru stretched his arm over the top of the couch again and this time, when his fingers brushed against her shoulder, he didn't mind. Even in the dark, he could see clearly how Sarah's face lit up when she laughed. Hikaru stared at the TV, but he immediately turned his head towards his stretched out arm when he felt the weight of Sarah's head fall on it. She had leaned her head back, seeming to not care. Hikaru wanted to shift his arm to where it wasn't touching her so much. Fingers brushing against her was what he could handle right now; her leaning against him, not really. He was about to move his arm when she looked over at him, large eyes boring into his.

"I _love _this movie." she said with a laugh.

"It is pretty funny."

A wave of relief washed over him when she removed her head.

"Jim Carrey has to be one of the funniest actors ever. I've seen almost all his movies."

This was moment when he was supposed to tell her which actor he thought was the funniest. He racked his brain for comedians, but could only think of ones that he _knew _Sarah had never heard of. Now he was trying to remember which actor Tara claimed was the funniest. They always held long conversations about movies and when they were in high school, he and Kaoru sometimes slept over at her apartment, watching movies all throughout the night.

"Nah, Robin Williams knocks him out of the ballpark."

Sarah gave him a knowing smile, nodding her head slowly. "One of my favorite movies from him is Mrs. Doubtfire."

Shit, which movie was that? "Oh, yeah, it _was _hilarious."

"One of my favorite parts is when he accidently sits down in front of his boss as Mrs. Doubtfire. I cracked up at both reactions- the boss's and when Daniel realized what he did. Priceless."

"Really? That's your favorite part too?" _Keep it simple. _Hikaru thought. _Don't let her find out that you have no idea what the hell you're talking about._

Sarah laughed, nodding her head again.

Hikaru glanced up at the clock. Had it really been a half and hour already? He eyed Sarah, wondering if she was having a good time. Judging by the laughing and the conversation they just had, he assumed she was, and he'd be lying if he said he wasn't having a good time. Though her laugh was getting a little much. And he was glad that they were having non-awkward conversation. Hopefully it was finally progressing to the smooth stage. The movie _was _pretty hilarious. The case was on the coffee table in front of them and he read: _The Mask_. It seemed familiar. Maybe Tara had mentioned it before. Speaking of Tara...

"Hey, I know we haven't had dinner yet, but do you want dessert? I'm hoping to get rid of all those desserts that Tara brought me this week."

"Yeah, sure. Is she really that great of a cook?"

"Heaven is the only word that describes her cooking."

**...\~/...**

Right when he stepped into the kitchen, his cellphone rang. He was expecting Tara, calling him to ask nosy questions like she always did, but he was surprised when he saw Hunny on his caller ID.

"Hello?"

"_Hika-chan! We've missed you!_"

"Hey, Hunny-senpai, yeah, I've missed you all too. But I-"

"_Reiko and I have something very important to tell you!_"

"Um, Hunny-senpai, can't it wait? I'm on a-"

"_Reiko's pregnant!_"

Well, that took him by surprise. Hikaru's mind couldn't even comprehend Hunny and Reiko doing...oh God! Over the phone, he could hear people talking, and could hear the distinct monotone voice of Reiko herself. Those two having a baby? He remembered that he could barely believe that the two were going to get married when they sent him a wedding invitation. They did have a very unique relationship and they did make an interesting pair. Hikaru imagined what the nursery was going to look like. Probably a mixture of happy bunny mobiles and skeletons strapped in shackles on the walls. What the _hell_ was the _baby_ going to be like?

"Pregnant? Couldn't keep your hands off of her, could you, senpai?"

There was a laugh on the other line, "_Nope! But I have a question for you._"

"What?" He hoped Sarah wasn't getting annoyed with all his exits. Hikaru looked up at the clock. Forty-five minutes had passed. A loud laugh came from the living room and he tensed up. Man, her laugh was starting to get on his nerves.

"_Well, we were wondering if you wanted to be the godfather. Do you?_"

"Godfather, me? I would've thought you'd ask Mori-senpai."

"_We did! Hika-chan, Reiko's having twins!_"

Twins? His thoughts switched over to Kaoru now. What would Kaoru say about the state that Hikaru was in? One, probably to get some concealer for the bags under his eyes and to go work out, but what would he say about his situation with Haruhi? Hikaru pinched his wrist, wincing at the pain. But really? What would he say? Most likely he would say to move on, except he would stretch it out and make it sound polite. He wondered if his brother and his girlfriend were doing alright. Probably, considering he hadn't received a call saying otherwise, and Kaoru posted statuses on Facebook all the time saying that he had the best girlfriend in the world. Hikaru wished he could do something like that...

"Congrats, senpai." Really? That was all he could say?

"_Takashi and Syd-chan are going to be the godparents of Hitoshi and-_"

"Wait, did you say Syd-senpai?"

"_Yeah, I thought she would make a responsible godmother!"_

Sydney McNamara, responsible? This was the girl that almost flunked out of high school when they came to Boston. Fortunately, thanks to Kyoya, she picked herself back up. Before though, she was lazy, unenthusiastic about everything, and hated life and the people that walked it. She was sarcastic, pessimistic, and irresponsible. But there was one thing that kept her going: her job as a zookeeper. Syd always claimed that she could talk to animals better than people, even if she did get pecked, bit, and scratched at. Hikaru had never thought that highly of her until he actually saw her at work when the Host Club visited the zoo and watched her perform the water show. After that, the two had become pretty close friends, and he even called her sometimes.

"_Hika-chan...she's a good candidate. Did you know she's made the Dean's List at her university a bunch of times? She's also an assistant to one of the best vets in the world right now. Plus, Hitoshi can have access to the zoo at all times! Isn't that great?_"

"Yeah, I guess. So, who am _I _the godfather to?"

"_Little Kimiko, of course. You should've seen the sonogram, Hika-chan. She was beautiful._"

Maybe it was the thought of being a father, but Hikaru couldn't understand how the hell an alien-looking humanoid could be beautiful.

"And who's the godmother?" he asked.

"_Haru-chan! She was so happy when she found out. She and Tama-chan both!_"

"Oh...um...that's...great..." He and Haruhi. Godparents. _Together. _What was it going to be like when Reiko went into labor and Hunny wanted them all there with him? He would be forced to watch everyone cuddle next to their significant other while they waited. The last time he had been that close to someone was his last girlfriend, a young woman who he thought he was going to settle down with. But, on one stormy night, he found out that she needed to get back home and tend to her seven kids (all with different fathers) and get back to work. Turned out, she didn't even _live _in New York, city _or _state. Had he even loved her? Probably not...

"Listen, I have to go. I'm sort of on a date."

"_A date? Hika-chan, I'm so happy for you! Is she pretty?_"

"Yes, very much so."

"_Is she nice?_"

"Yes."

He could hear someone talking to Hunny on the other end, not Reiko, but another female voice, followed by a male monotone voice that could've been none other than Mori. A weak yelp came from Hunny and Hikaru was left wondering what happened to cause it. "_Syd-chan, I-I c-can't ask h-him that..._"

"Wait, Syd's there?"

"_Oh, uh, yeah..._" Hunny answered, his voice small. "_The zoo's she's working at is making an animal exchange with the zoo here and she was sent to supervise it so she came to visit us in the meantime._"

"And, what did she say?" Probably something cheeky, knowing her.

"_Um...well...I CAN'T SAY IT!_"

Hikaru chuckled, "Just say it."

Suddenly, Syd's voice entered his ear, "_Dude, are you going to get laid?_"

"Oh, hey, Syd-senpai, and probably not."

"_Well, that's boring... I'm leavin'. Here, Hun._"

Hunny's voice said, "_I'm SORRY, HIKA-CHAN! SHE GRABBED THE PHONE AND-_"

"Calm down, it's fine."

"_Um...well...you need to get back to your date, but will you be the godfather?_"

"Um..." With Haruhi? Pinch... "Yeah, I'd be honored."

There was a cheer on the other end, "_Yay, I'm so happy! Okay, you get back to your date now! And...cheer up, 'kay?_"

"Yeah...okay..." Click.

Hikaru slipped the phone back in his pocket, stepping towards the counter where all the desserts were strung out. He grabbed a serving tray, lining it with delicious-looking fruit tarts, pastries with cream-filling, and cakes decorated beautifully. Another laugh came from the living room and he winced, the shrill of it ringing in his ears. It was almost like a siren going off, but ten times worse. No one could have a laugh that obnoxious. But he was a gentleman, he wouldn't say anything (hopefully), and even if he did, he really wasn't in the mood to feel the wrath of Tara in the morning.

As he lifted the tray from the counter, Hikaru paused at the door, and pinched himself five times before heading to the living room.

**...\~/...**

He was greeted with Sarah's banshee laugh and he replied with a cringe. Setting the tray down in front of her, she quickly picked out a fruit tart, and put it to her lips before pausing. She set it back down, grimacing, "Yuck, it has strawberries on it." she mumbled, bringing a chocolate-frosted cake to her lips, and taking a bite. Sarah's face scrunched up, an action that had not gone unnoticed by him. He had to wonder how Tara would've reacted to this woman's reactions. Probably a kick to her face... Hikaru watched the woman search through the desserts, a frown settling on her lips as she sat back, clearly disappointed. "They all have strawberries..." Sarah pouted.

A certain brunette liked strawberries...pinch.

Another laugh came from her.

The same brunette had a nice laugh...two pinches.

This was going to be a long night.

**...\~/...**

Hikaru watched her intently as Sarah took her first bite of Tara's Italian cooking. When she shrugged, he felt the prickling sensation of annoyance wash over him. His face felt hot when she commented, "I've had better. Maybe 'heaven' isn't the word to describe her cooking. It's good, but not heavenly." The woman on the other side of the island table ditched the gnocchi, _real __gnocchi_, and went for Tara's minestrone soup that consisted of various vegetables, beef broth, and beef itself. "Isn't this just regular soup?" Sarah asked, blowing on her spoonful to cool it off.

"Basically, but this soup originated from Italy; Rome to be more specific."

Another shrug. His eye twitched.

"Kyoya and Tara spent a few months in Italy so she could get hand-on-hand experience at one of their culinary schools there. So if you were to get the real thing, it would be Tara's cooking."

"Or at one of the Italian restaurants."

"Yeah, but she usually does it for free. Why pay when you have someone who's willing to cook for you?"

Sarah ditched the soup. "So, have you been anywhere out of state?"

"Well, yeah, haven't you?"

She shook her head, "No, not enough money. I'm not exactly rolling in cash, ya know. Waitresses don't make millions." She smiled at him and he noticed how there was a gap between her two front teeth. And she giggled; he wished she'd stop. "So, where's your favorite place to go to?" she asked.

"Definitely Spain; my brother and I go there all the time. We love the architecture there. It's kinda to die for."

"Really? You must be loaded in order to go there all the time." Giggle.

"Are you going to eat?" he asked. The last time he said he was rich, his date had practically thrown herself on him.

"Not hungry. I'm not really impressed." Another goddamn laugh.

That was it. He snapped. Her laugh, her condescending nature towards Tara cooking, and her constant giggling. And he could hear her voice, babbling on about something that happened at the restaurant she worked at. The rude customers, the real cute group of boys that came in and acted like they were all that, the almost accident consisting of one of her co-workers cutting his thumb off. Everything about her was beginning to irritate him. Hikaru felt himself twitch every time she tapped her fingers against the island top. He expected her to tell him her life story, but before she could, he just _had _to open his big mouth.

"Man, do you ever shut up?"

The atmosphere of the room turned heavy. The look on Sarah's face was one of shock, her mouth agape and her eyes showed hurt. There was a slouch in her shoulders and a quiver in her bottom lip.

"W-What...?"

"Seriously, your voice is annoying, and what the hell's up with your laugh? I'd rather listen to my brother's girlfriend."

Next thing he knew, wine covered his face, dripping from his nose and chin.

"You're the worst date ever!"

She left him sitting there.

He hadn't been her first date.

**...\~/...**

The sour taste of beer lingered on his tongue and he despised it, but the buzz he felt was too good to get rid of. He hadn't bothered to change after the wine incident, a dark purple spot decorated the collar of his shirt, and he could still smell the sweet aroma of wine. The island table in the kitchen had half-eaten Italian plates and he hadn't even bothered to mop up the wine that spilled on the floor. After Sarah had ran out of his apartment in tears, Hikaru had slipped into his coat, and walked to the 24-hour convenient store, and picked up some hair dye. Now, he was waiting for his freshly-dyed hair to dry.

The TV lit up his whole living room, the volume blaring. He heard someone pound the ceiling below him with a broom, yelling at him to shut the fuck up, but Hikaru ignored them.

"_I met my husband over Red Hue and we hit it off immediately._" On the screen, Hikaru watched as a man danced closely to a woman, swaying back and forth to the music. "_And I've never been happier. We've been married for six years now._" Hikaru took another swig of his beer when the commercial switched to a different couple, the two holding hands and sharing a sweet kiss. "_I thought I'd never meet a woman that liked to travel as much as I do, but Red Hue found my future __fiancé_ and now we're going to Australia for our honeymoon."

"Whoopdie doo for you, Larry. I've been there three times already."

The commercial switched to a couple that sat in front of a TV, both bearing video game controllers. "_Red Hue introduced us almost instantly. I almost gave up looking for my soulmate, but when her name popped up, I knew I had found her._"

"This makes me sick." But he kept watching.

Now, a well-dressed man stood in the middle of the screen, hair spiked in the front, and he clapped his hands together, giving the viewers his best smile. "_Red Hue has currently millions of people looking for their soulmate. Free of charge, but we expect a story explaining how you and your loved one are doing._"

Hikaru looked down at the bruise that was forming on his wrist from pinching himself.

"_Red Hue: where we bring color into your love life._"

**...\~/...**

"I'm a Gemini. Um...I'm artistic, adventurous, and...what else should I write?"

Seriously, what _was _he supposed to write? He would've thought that writing about himself was easy, but this was just plain hard. Hikaru thought about writing that he was a billionaire, had the body of a god, and drove around in a red Ferrari just for a barrel of laughs, but he threw the idea away. What was appealing to women? He thought about Tara and her relationship with Kyoya. On numerous occasions she had said that Kyoya's intelligence was one of the reasons she fell for him; she liked guys that knew what they were talking about and didn't stumble over themselves. Kaoru's girlfriend was only interested in his little brother for money (or he liked to think). Syd always said that she liked guys that had a confident aura to them and she liked them a little bit possessive.

"And Haruhi likes idiots." Pinch.

"Start over. I'm currently attending New York City's Art Institute, hopefully to earn a degree in graphic design. People have told me that I'm artistic, adventurous, and a bit mischievous. My hobbies include art, video games, and pulling pranks."

Hikaru looked down at the 'what are you looking for' section.

"I'm looking for the doe, brown eyes, a blunt personality, and the charm of a commoner."

**...\~/...**

"She threw her wine on you?"

"Yep."

"Called you the worst date ever?"

"Yep."

"And ran out crying?"

"Yep."

"You're a dumbass."

"Yep...wait a second, no I'm not!"

Tara shrugged, flipping over the pancakes she was preparing on the skillet. The apartment smelled amazing, a great way to start the morning. Hikaru was sitting on one of the stools at the island, a steaming coffee cup in his hands. Tara was at the stove, cooking up a variety of breakfast foods- pancakes, bacon, sausage, eggs, everything. Kyoya was sitting opposite of Hikaru, reading the New York Times, sipping at a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice. The morning sun's rays streamed through the kitchen windows, giving the kitchen a warm hue.

"Oh, and did I mention that she didn't like your cooking." Hikaru said with a smirk.

Tara paused in her cooking to turn and look at him. After a few moments in staring at him, she turned back to the stove, grumbling.

Suddenly, breaking through the silence, his phone began vibrating. Tara picked it up off the counter, handing it to him. Hikaru was thankful she didn't look to see who it was.

It was an e-mail from Red Hue.

_Hello Hikaru!_

_Thank you for setting up an account on our wonderful website._

_We are pleased to inform you that we have found the person for you!_

_Click on the following link to see who we paired you up with._

He clicked it.

Up popped a screen with a profile that didn't have a picture on it. He hadn't put a picture on his either.

"What is it?" Tara questioned, setting a plate in front of him and Kyoya. Hikaru noticed how Kyoya had stopped reading and was now staring at him, waiting for an answer.

"Have you guys seen the commercials for a dating site called Red Hue?" Hikaru asked.

"Uh, yeah. They're on like every five minutes." Tara replied.

"Well, I signed up last night, and they already paired me up with someone."

There was a silence while Hikaru read over the person's profile.

"Well?" It was Kyoya that questioned him this time.

"Her name's Ripley Barrett. Strange name in my opinion."

Ripley Barrett. It felt strange saying her name.


	3. Getting Past That Blinking Line

**Step #3:**

**Getting Past That Blinking Line**

**...\~/...**

"Here's your Caramel Dee-Lite Latte! That'll be 3.95!" the cashier said, waiting for him to give out the right change.

"Here. Keep the change." Hikaru grabbed his latte, walking to his usual spot, the center table with the stools.

His favorite café was unusually busy once more, but this time, groups of friends and family crowded the place, not couples. The warm buzz he got from being surrounded by loved ones was inviting, a smile taking its place on his face. Sitting himself down, he slipped his hand into his pocket, taking out the folded up profile of the woman they matched him up with on Red Hue. He had printed it off his computer earlier that morning, looking at it over and over again, trying to figure out an introduction letter to her in his head.

Ripley Barrett.

Still a strange name, but from what her profile said, they had a lot in common.

She liked video games, just like him, and she even listed some of her favorites: Fallout 3 and New Vegas, the Assassin's Creed series, and Red Dead Redemption; loved music and seemed to listen to all kinds, from Dean Martin to Slipknot; and was studying game design, just like him. Hikaru looked up from the profile, peering outside. It had started to snow, the soft look of the snowflakes caused a shiver to go down his spine. He wondered if she liked snow...

_Ask her if she likes snow. _Hikaru scribbled that on the paper, next to all the other questions he had for her. Something about meeting a new person, especially that she had the possibility of being his soulmate, was exciting. He took a sip of his latte, resting his head in his hand. His eyes moved down to the 'what are you looking for' section of her profile. This woman was looking for someone that would make her laugh, especially for times when she was down. She wanted someone to sit down and play video games with her. A man that was confidant and a bit possessive. He smirked at that. Those were Syd's requirements.

He kind of wished this woman would send him a message first.

The speakers above him blurted out a local radio station. According to the weatherman, all travelers needed to stay in the city due to the incoming snow storm. Hikaru wondered if Kyoya and Tara had even left yet. From what the radio was saying, the storm was a particularly bad one, and it had already hit the highways. He hoped that the two would stay in New York City a little bit longer; it got unbearably lonely sometimes.

The bells on the door gave a gentle ring. He looked up to see who entered. The sight caused his eyes to widen.

It was Sarah, his previous date, and from the looks of it, she had already moved on.

The man who she was holding the arm of was huge! He was around the same height as Mori, maybe even a little taller, and had arms the size of tree trunks. He walked like a gorilla, a feature that came to life when Sarah pulled him towards the cash register, already telling the cashier their orders. The man looked like he belonged on a military base, not in a cozy café. Hikaru hid his eyes from view when they walked past him to one of the booths. He peeked through his fingers at them. Man, if that guy ever punched him... Hikaru didn't even want to think about it.

To distract himself from Sarah and her new man, Hikaru pulled out his phone, checking his e-mails. Nope, no new messages. Just _great_, it was really looking like he was going to be the one that was going to have to compose the first message. What was he supposed to write? More importantly, how was he supposed to greet her? Hello sounded too formal and hey sounded too casual. Maybe this Ripley woman liked casual. Oh, oh, oh, maybe he should greet her with Ohayou! No, she probably wouldn't know what that meant.

His stomach growled, but he made no move to get something to eat. His appetite wasn't with him today.

A yawn escaped him. Man, he was tired. He had stayed up all night with the thoughts of his ruined date with Sarah.

Hikaru stole a glance towards Sarah. She was laughing, but the man's face was like an angry stone. Maybe he was one of those guys that didn't smile or make any kind of expression when they joked around. Her laugh rang in his ears and he cringed. It was still annoying.

The ash-haired man turned back to his phone, opening up the notepad section.

He decided that he wouldn't greet her at all, but would just start talking.

_I can't believe Red Hue matched me up with someone that quickly. Anyways though, Ripley, that's a strange name. It reminds me of a story my friend told me about a cat she had named Ripley. _

_I really don't know what to say. This is my first time on a dating website._

_-HH_

_P.S. It's snowing here in New York City. Do you like snow?_

That was really, _really_, lame. He kind of wondered how she would respond to a message like this. Now he wanted to send it just to find out.

**...\~/...**

Every message he threw out, they sounded lamer than the first. Why was it so freakin' hard to talk to someone? What would the other Host Club members do in a situation like this? Kyoya would probably whip up an impressive sounding letter and probably throw something intellectual in there as well. Hunny would most likely talk about cute stuff and cake and ask if _she_ liked cute stuff and cake, too. Mori would keep his sweet and simple with as few words as possible. And Kaoru could always connect with people better than he could. His little brother always had a way with words.

And Tamaki...Tamaki would ask questions, lots and lots of questions about her.

"Hey, I need a word with you." someone said next to him. Hikaru looked over, then up, and found him staring into the eyes of Sarah's date. He looked meaner up close than he did at a distance. How could a little thing like Sarah like this brute of a man?

Hikaru tensed up when the man stepped closer to him.

"You need to apologize to her. She's crying right now. You really hurt her."

"Yeah, well, she needs to get over it." God, he was such a hypocrite.

Hikaru saw the man's eyes darken. "You were a real asshole to her last night."

"And she was a real bitch." He _really _needed to stop himself.

"You had no right to insult her. She has a beautiful laugh."

"Your eardrums burst because of it. You can't hear it anymore." Uh oh...

Not a moment after he said that, the brute's fist connected with his eye. The impact sent Hikaru backwards, falling off his chair, and onto the cold, hard floor beneath. He felt the back of his head hit the floor, sending a wave of pain through him. His eye was already beginning to swell and bruise. _Please, somebody, stop him. _Hikaru pleaded in his mind, but when he saw the monster of a man push the stool in front of him out of his way, Hikaru knew no one was going to help him. They were just as scared as he was. He should defend himself, but Hikaru found no energy to move. It was like...it was like he just gave up.

"Sir, please calm down!" Hikaru heard the manager yell from behind the counter.

A foot connected with his stomach, knocking the wind out of him.

"Please, sir!" Hikaru watched through blurry eyes as someone finally pushed his attacker away.

But they weren't strong enough. Sarah's date kept on coming.

A fist swooped down and connected with his jaw, another collided with the bridge of his nose, a crack coming from the impact.

That's when he heard the bells on the door ring again.

"What the _fuck _are we supposed to do now? That goddamned Mother Nature... Good thing she's now real or else I'd give her a swift kick to the ass." a voice with a southern drawl said loudly.

"Calm down, my love, you're attracting attention." a cool voice replied.

Hikaru turned his head, eyes focusing in on Kyoya and Tara. The Heavens must've been looking out for him today.

"Kyoya..." he managed to get out, even if it was sputtered out.

The spectacled man turned his head at the mention of his name and his dark eyes landed on Hikaru. The dark-haired man left Tara's side, rushing over, and kneeling beside Hikaru. He pulled out a handkerchief from his coat pocket and wiped the blood from his younger friend's nose. His left eye was swollen shut and there was a gruesome-looking bruise on the right side of his jaw. Kyoya helped sit Hikaru up, his fingers brushing against a knot on the back of Hikaru's head. Even his gentle touch caused Hikaru to wince.

"Hey," Hikaru's attacker said, directing this towards Kyoya. "Is this asshole your friend?"

"Yes. What of it?" Kyoya said, his voice low.

"You need to tell him to apologize to Sarah. He really hurt her feelings."

Kyoya stood up, staring coldly at the man in front of him. The lone twin's knees were weak, shaking even. The stool he had been sitting on was on its side on the checkered floor. Some people left the café once the ruckus had started, others stayed to be entertained, and others were too frightened to even move. A group of teenage girls gasped at the appearance of Hikaru's face, putting their hands to their mouths in shock. The brute's fist had been hard as steel and as big as a boulder. God, he felt sick.

"I feel as though they _both _need to apologize to one another." Kyoya replied sharply.

"And why's that? Sarah didn't do anything. He was the one that was rude to her."

"I agree; Hikaru was quite rude to her. A host should never treat his guest as such, but a guest should have the common decency to not complain, something Sarah did plenty of at dinner last night. She also needs to apologize to my girlfriend since she was the one that prepared dinner last night."

"Sarah owes an apology to no one!"

Hikaru heard footsteps approach them behind and he suddenly got a face-full of cold meat. Tara entered his line of vision, kneeling to get a good look at his face. The blonde cupped his face gingerly, tracing the bruise around his eye carefully. Her thin lips were pressed in a line, blue-green eyes narrowed. Hikaru pressed the slab of steak to his eye gently, wondering where the hell she even got steaks. Then he remembered that there was a meat shop across the street. Knowing Tara, she probably cut in front of everyone to get what she wanted.

Hikaru watched her stand up, unwrapping two other packages of meat, both steaks. She strode over to the brute, holding out a steak to him. He took it with a confused look, but a couple seconds after, Tara clubbed him in the right eye, delivering another punch to his nose shortly after. The monster of a man toppled over, grabbing a table to stand up straight. Sarah ran up to him, but Tara threw a steak to her to, the auburn-haired woman catching it sloppily. Once she looked up at Tara though, the southerner's fist collided with Sarah's jaw, also causing the woman to stumble back into the brute.

"This goddamn café's ice machine broke so I had to go get meat." Tara turned to Hikaru, pulling him up.

"C'mon, you need to get your nose aligned because _that _dumbass broke it." Tara said, sneering in the brute's direction.

When they left the café, the three acquainting themselves with the bitter cold and snow once more, Hikaru pocket vibrated. He reached into his pocket, slipping his phone out. When he turned it on, he stopped abruptly when he saw who it was.

"Hikaru, is something wrong?" Kyoya asked, turning to look at the younger man.

"It's her."

"Who?" he questioned.

Hikaru held out his phone, both Tara and Kyoya leaning in to read what was on the screen.

_Red Hue: Message from Ripley Barrett._

**...\~/...**

Tape heavy on his nose, jaw throbbing dully, and eye looking worse for wear, Hikaru couldn't help but feel that the churning in his stomach was the worst feeling of them all. He still hadn't opened the woman's message, and he had already gotten checked by the doctor and was back home, sitting on his couch, staring at his phone. Tara and Kyoya went out to pick up dinner since Tara wasn't in the mood to cook, and they left him alone once more.

He was nervous as hell about the message and he had no idea why.

"GAH!" Hikaru yelled when the phone suddenly rang in his hands. Being startled while being nervous, not a good mix.

He answered, "Hello."

"_Hi-ka-ru!_"

"Oh, hey Kaoru."

"_'Hey Kaoru', that's all you can say? No 'Oh, Kaoru, I've missed you so much' or 'I love you so much, best little brother in the whole world'?_"

"Oh, Kaoru, best little brother in the whole world, how I've missed you so much. What would I ever do without you? There, better?" he replied sarcastically.

"_Mmm, I'll take it. So, what's up with you? You haven't called in awhile._" Hikaru could say the same for him.

"Well, I had a date yesterday night, I-"

"_A DATE? Hikaru, how'd it go? Is there going to be a second date? Is she nice? Pretty? Funny? How about-_"

"Whoa, chill out." Hikaru butted it. The questions were getting a bit much. "It went...horrible. I couldn't keep my mouth shut. She _was _pretty though, but her laugh was irritating. Couldn't handle it."

"_Her laugh? Hikaru, can't you keep your opinions to yourself for once?_"

"Well, _excuse me_ for being honest."

"_Hikaru, there's a difference between being honest and hurtful and it sounds like you were hurtful._"

"Yeah, well, she was annoying." He sighed into the phone, right when Kaoru sighed. They were still in sync despite the many miles between them. "I'm not really in the mood right now. There was...a mishap today."

"_A mishap...? What happened?_"

"Get this, my date from last night's already moved on. And her boyfriend's _huge_. Actually, that's an understatement; this guy was _gigantic_. This guy just came up to me all of a sudden and demanded that I apologize to her. I said no, he punched me, and-"

"_He_ punched_ you?_"

"Yeah, broke my nose. I have a pretty nice shiner and my jaw hurts like hell. Kyoya and Tara came to the rescue, though." He didn't bother telling Kaoru that he egged the brute on by insulting Sarah. He really didn't want to hear his brother scold him right now. Plus, he couldn't ignore the butterflies in his stomach; still nervous about the message. "But I made an account on a dating website though."

"_Really? Which one?_"

"Red Hue. And they already found someone for me."

"_Who? WHO?_"

"Sheesh, will you calm down. Her name's Ripley Barrett. She sent me a message today and-"

"_Well, what did it say?_"

"...I don't know. I haven't read it yet."

"_Ugh, Hikaru, you need to read it!_"

"I can't."

"_And why not?_"

"I'm scared." It was silent on the other end. "What if it's something really cruel? What she already doesn't like me?"

"_Hikaru, you need to read that message. That's why I'm going to hang up now._"

"Wait, don't-!"

"_And Hikaru...you need to move on._" Click.

**...\~/...**

_Dear Hikaru,_

_Sorry, I didn't exactly know how to start this, so I went formal. I'm still kind of surprised that Red Hue matched me up with someone so quick. I'll tell you what; I've never been so intimidated by that stupid blinking line in my life. Well, except when I have writer's block. I'm actually pretty nervous, writing this and all. I don't really know what to say. Never been good at this kind of stuff...when it comes to guys. _

_From,_

_Ripley B._

_P.S. It's thundering here and it's the middle of December. Something's not right about that..._

**...\~/...**

"What should I say?"

"Uh, maybe something about yourself. I don't know. I'm not good at this stuff. Ask Kyoya."

"Kyoya-senpai...?"

"Say how nervous you are as well. That will probably make her feel more relaxed and allow her to open up a bit more. Be formal in your letters until you're comfortable accepting and sending her letters, then you can be casual. Ask if she's a writer. She mentioned something about writer's block, did she not? Find some common ground, that's the best way to approach this kind of situation."

"Oh, okay. I'm going to ask her about snow."

"Snow? That was fuckin' random."

"Shut up, Tara."

"Say that again and you'll find yourself with another black eye."

"Will you two calm down? I can't hear myself think."

"Sorry..." the blonde and ash said together.

**...\~/...**

_Dear Ripley,_

_Yeah, I'm pretty nervous too. I'm like you, I've never been really good at talking to people. My brother was always the one that did the talking. I would've written something sooner, but I was also intimidated by that blinking line. My mind drew blanks on what to write about. Hey, are you a writer or something? You mentioned something about writer's block. _

_From,_

_Hikaru H._

_P.S. It's snowing here. Do you like snow?_

**...\~/...**

Tara had rented one of her stupid, idiotic John Wayne movies. Kyoya watched it without a word, though he did say it was a well deserved break from all the zombie flicks she forced him to watch with her. He was never one for the gut-opening, intestine-eating gore that happened all over those movies. Hikaru complained though; westerns were all the same. The hero always conquered, the bad guys were thrown behind bars, and the main character always ended up with the beautiful, but dainty lady, or they ended up with the badass, sexy, female outlaw, and settled down in a nice house surrounded by miles and miles of dust and cacti with a cow named Bessie. He'd rather watch something mind-numbing, a movie that didn't hold much plot so he didn't have to pay attention.

It felt nice having people over for once. He, however, didn't like the way Tara cuddled up next to Kyoya while they watched the screen. Her arms were around his waist, head on his chest, and her legs curled up close to her. His left arm was stretched across the arm of the couch, his other draped over Tara's shoulders, pulling her even closer to him. It was weird having them do something couple-like. He was so used to their normalcy towards one another. He didn't like it...no, he _hated _it. All throughout the movie, they were too engrossed on what was going on that they didn't notice his staring.

He remembered the last time he had a woman press into him like that during a movie. They had been watching a horror movie, a very suspenseful one as well, and his date had grabbed his shirt, burying her face into his chest. He had wrapped his arm around her comfortingly, his other hand coming over to stroke her hair gently. He had cooed gently to her, telling her it was just make-believe, and that he was there for her. She had been one of the women he adored the most out of all the ones he had been with. He thought she was going to be the one that helped him get over Haruhi.

She hadn't been, otherwise, he wouldn't have been sitting here feeling envious over Kyoya. He had told that woman about his thoughts that pertained to Haruhi- how he was still in love with her, everything. He told her that he was willing to move on with her, ready to be in a relationship with her. Told her that he wanted her to be the one he moved on with. He thought they were close enough for him to tell her all that, but they weren't. He had thought wrong. The day after, she wouldn't return his calls, she wouldn't answer her door when he went to visit her in person, she had moved on already. Months later, she sent him a postcard from Bali, saying that she was on her honeymoon with her new husband, and that she thought of him on occasion and hoped he was doing all right.

He had ripped and burned that fuckin' postcard.

Hikaru stood up, walking towards the kitchen. He pushed the door open, the door swinging shut after he went through. He was hot; he wanted to be cold. Hikaru shuffled over to the window, pushing it open, sticking his head outside. The street below was busy with cars, horns beeping and blaring as they passed by. Sirens could be heard and police lights could be seen down the street, rushing through the intersection. Probably another burglary or hijacking. The snow continued to drift down from the skies, flakes falling in his dark hair, some landing on his neck and melting instantly, his neck becoming wet and cold. He could see people passing from where he was. One man was walking hurriedly down the sidewalk, head ducked down, hands shoved deep in his pockets. A couple was walking slowly, looking like they were enjoying the cold and snow, holding mitten-covered hands.

A sigh escaped his lips, head hanging low.

What was everyone else doing right now? Kaoru texted him earlier a picture of a gown he had designed for his girlfriend since they were attending a party one of his clients was throwing, so Hikaru knew what he was doing. He knew where Kyoya and Tara were, most likely stealing kisses now that he was out of the room. Mori was probably practicing kendo while Syd watched him. Hunny was most likely scrambling about, trying to prepare for the babies, and Reiko was probably being her normal, slow-moving self. Hikaru still couldn't believe they were having kids, twins nonetheless.

And he couldn't believe he was going to be a godparent with Haruhi.

He wondered what she was doing right now. Defending a client? The most probable choice was that she was cooking something or walking around hand-in-hand with Tamaki. Hikaru grasped his hair, gritting his teeth. That could've been him right now if only he had worked harder. What did that brainless idiot have that he didn't? He could be kind, he could be sensitive, he could give her everything she wanted or needed.

Who was he kidding? He wasn't any of those things. He was harsh, childish, possessive, insensitive, everything that Tamaki wasn't. That's why Haruhi had never been attracted to him. He was always clueless when it came to comforting others, he never had the right words to say, while Tamaki knew _exactly _what to say, knew _exactly _what to do to make someone feel better.

He was envious of that idiot, but he owed so much to him.

The movie had ended, he didn't hear the high buzzing of the television as it had been turned off.

"Kyoya, I worry about him. You think he's going to be alright?" he heard Tara ask.

There was a sad silence before Kyoya answered, "This one...I'm not so sure."

Hikaru buried his head in his arms, careful to not hit his nose. If Kyoya didn't have an answer, Hikaru knew he was in trouble. He needed to get over it, he really did. He was driving himself crazy with the constant thoughts of her. What would she think of him if she saw the state he was in? Haruhi...she would try and comfort him, but she would find some way to remind him that she was with Tamaki, basically telling him that she could never be his. God, he felt sick.

"My God it's cold in here." he heard Tara mutter.

He looked over his shoulder to see Tara standing by the door, rubbing her arms.

"Hikaru, Kyoya and I are leaving. We'll come back in the morning depending on the weather."

Before she could get out the door, Hikaru stood up, but bashed his head against the window. He groaned, rubbing the back of his head carefully, turning towards her for she had paused in her exit to see if he was okay. Tara's expression was full of concern, but he knew it wasn't just for his head, but for his well-being. Great, another thing that would keep him awake at night.

"Can...can you and...you know what? Never mind."

"Go ahead. Say it."

"Can you and Kyoya stay here for the night. I...I like the company."

"Hikaru..."

He held up his hands, wishing that he could reach her from where he stood. "You two can take my bed and I'll take the couch! And, um, I'll get breakfast in the morning! You guys can sleep in and everything! I promise I won't be a bother!"

Before he knew it, Tara's arms were around him. He'd never been hugged by her before. He knew she hated physical contact. She must've been really worried about him...

"Hikaru, of course we'll stay." And with that, she kissed him on the cheek, stepping back to run a hand through his hair. The affection wasn't romantic, he knew that, but it was tender and loving. He had never seen her like this before. The look in her eyes was full of sadness and understanding. He wanted more of it. He wanted more of that affection. At the moment, he _yearned _for it. Before she could pull away completely, he wrapped his arms around her, not giving a care how she felt about it. He buried his face into her shoulder, clutching to the back of her sweater. He felt her return the embrace and that was what he wanted.

He didn't notice, but Kyoya had entered the room awhile back, and was now leaning on his shoulder against the doorframe, arms crossed. He held the same look in his eyes, the look of sadness, when he came in to see Tara and Hikaru holding each other close. For once in his life, Kyoya had no idea what to do about the situation on hand. He, too, worried about Hikaru's well-being when he and Tara were away. Kyoya didn't know whether the younger man was simply in a funk or was severely depressed. When he asked questions, Hikaru wouldn't answer or give them answers that didn't give away anything. Everything he knew about the way Hikaru was feeling was simply through observation.

"Thank you...Tara-senpai..." Hikaru whispered.

He felt his eyes water and the tears started spilling over, causing him to pull Tara as close as he could to him.

"Thank you..."

* * *

**Is it pathetic that my eyes started watering while writing this?**


	4. Answering Five Questions

**Step #4:**

**Answering 5 Questions**

**...\~/...**

_Dear Hikaru, _

_I have mixed feelings about snow. I like it when it's fresh and blindingly bright, but I hate it when it melts to sludge. Sludge just makes everything look dirty. And yes, I am a writer. Haven't published anything, but I hope someday that I'll be able to walk into a bookstore and see my books all over the shelves. The problem is: I have no commitment whatsoever. I've told my friends that they need to push me to get a story done, but I guess we all forget. Also, I've been in a bit of a funk lately. Whatever I write never seems to satisfy me. _

_Anyways, I'm glad I'm not the only one nervous about this. Friends say it's not a big deal, but that doesn't make me feel any better._

_From, _

_Ripley B._

_P.S. Are you the older or younger brother? You mentioned a brother in your previous message._

**...\~/...**

_Dear Ripley,_

_I've never really noticed the sludge. I probably will now since you've pointed it out. And what kind of stories do you write? I sometimes wish I could write; always been a math and science person. Hey, when you publish something, can I get an autograph? I've never gotten a book autographed before and it's on my bucket list. Do you have a bucket list? Is that a weird thing to ask? Am I asking too many questions?_

_By the way, I'm the oldest by five minutes. We're twins and his name's Kaoru._

_From, _

_Hikaru H._

_P.S. Seriously, am I asking too many questions?_

**...\~/...**

_Dear Hikaru, _

_Nope, you're not asking too many questions. How else are we supposed to get to know each other if we don't ask them? See, I'm the other way around; I wish I could be a math and science person. Math I was alright at, but science was too boring for me to pay attention to. I especially hated chemistry during high school. Ugh, makes me shudder just thinking about it... Also, I write anything that comes to mind. Fantasy, action/adventure, romance, anything. The one thing I probably can't do and won't do is sci-fi. The whole galaxy-space adventure thing has never exactly been my cup of tea. And of course I can give you an autograph. Just nag me to write and maybe you'll get one someday. _

_Of course I have a bucket list! Haven't marked anything off, but I'll get to it. Someday..._

_Um...my friend (FRIEND, not me) has a question for you (I really hope this doesn't ruin things for us, but better now then later): she wants to know if you and your brother have ever done twincest before. She likes that kind of thing... If I don't get a letter back, I understand._

_From,_

_Ripley B._

_P.S. Do I write too much? I feel like I do._

**...\~/...**

_Dear Ripley,_

_I cracked up and I mean, I laughed for like...ten minutes when I read your twincest section. In high school, my brother and I were in this club called a Host Club, and we basically entertain the girls by talking with them, serving tea, doing cosplay, and a whole bunch of other stuff. Well, my brother and I put on this act where we pretended to be involved in a forbidden romance. Girls ate it up so bad. So yeah, we kind of have done twincest. Bet you weren't expecting that answer, huh?_

_How can you NOT love chemistry? That was one of my favorite classes in high school! _

_I've marked a few things off my bucket list, like being kicked by a soccer player and scaring someone with one of those hand buzzers._

_From, _

_Hikaru H._

_P.S. You don't write too much. I like long messages._

**...\~/...**

_Dear Hikaru,_

_Are you kidding me? I wasn't even expecting a letter after the twincest thing! I thought that was a little much, especially since we just starting talking to one another. _

_How CAN you love chemistry? That subject was created by the devil as a torture device, no joke. Though, we did have this student teacher that we all came to adore, and let's just say that when he left, there were a lot of depressed, desperate, panicked students in that class. The real teacher always treated us like we were stupid. So that's why I despise and will FOREVER despise chemistry. Nothing you can say can make me change my mind. _

_Hand buzzer? Okay, I'll admit it, I've always wanted to get zapped by one of those. Question: did you get numerous people with the buzzer or just one oblivious person over and over again? If it's the second one, I'm going to laugh my ass off._

_From, _

_Ripley B._

_P.S. You aren't offended by foul language, right?_

**...\~/...**

_Dear Ripley,_

_Have you told your friend yet about the twincest thing yet? If you did, how did she react?_

_Our teacher always did demonstrations all the time so it was always exciting. He had really cool ways of teaching it so I was always interested. It also depends on the teacher because I always heard other students complain about how boring it was in the other homerooms. I guess I was just lucky. You must've had a dud. _

_If we ever meet in person, I'll get you with the hand buzzer, promise. Also, it was one person over and over again. He was a...actually, he still IS an idiot, so it was easy to trick him. I wanted to get the vice-president of our club, but I was pretty sure he would summon the demons from Hell and sic 'em on me if I did, so I stayed away from him. _

_Okay, so it just went from being a really pretty snow to kind of terrifying. Weather scares me sometimes._

_From, _

_Hikaru H. _

_P.S. The hell if I'm not offended by foul language. I'm used to it. My friend swears like a sailor and yet, she's the girlfriend to one of the most proper people I know._

**...\~/...**

_Dear Hikaru, _

_Nope. She fell asleep right after she asked the twincest question. Sorry, no reaction._

_You lucky bastard. My chemistry teacher did at least four or five demonstrations and when she did, they weren't even that cool. There was one that I loved, but only one. Plus, I hated that class because I sat in the very front all year long. I wanted to sit in the very back so she wouldn't ask me so many damn questions. _

_I laughed so hard, I thought I was going to wake the neighbors when I read about the whole buzzing one person thing. It takes a real idiot to be so trusting of a prankster. _

_Hey, if weather there scares you, come to where I live. It goes from sunny, to rainy, to below zero, to tornado-perfect conditions in less than five minutes. You never know what the hell you're going to get over here. It shouldn't be called the Land of Lincoln; it should be called the Bipolar-Weather State._

_From, _

_Ripley B._

_P.S. You know what I hate? Bugs being attracted to light, especially since my laptop is the only light on._

**...\~/...**

_Dear Ripley,_

_Tell your friend that we went all the way. Tell me if she faints or not. _

_I sat in the back with my brother and friend. But you know what I hated the most? When my teacher would call on me on a question I didn't have an answer to. I would stand up, state my answer, then cringe when the teacher said no real slowly, like he was trying to figure out where the hell I came up with it. And it was always in my foreign language class; usually pulled all the answers in that class out of my ass. Kaoru was always a genius when it came to foreign language._

_On my bucket list, I have 'see a tornado and take a picture of it'. _

_From,_

_Hikaru H._

_P.S. You know what I hate? When you smash bugs on your computer screen and you try and wipe them away, but it only smears them. I hate that._

**...\~/...**

_Dear Hikaru,_

_If I told her you went all the way with your brother, I'm pretty sure she would have a heart attack. But I'll do it, just for you._

_Oh, I know, right? I never paid any attention in classes so I didn't know what the hell I was doing in any of them. I would either stay really quiet or just say 'I don't know' and they would get on with the class. I hated talking in class because I always felt people were going to laugh at me if I got the wrong answer because there WERE kids that would laugh behind your back if you got the wrong answer. I remember there was this one girl that was so condescending to people who said the wrong things; I wanted to punch her right between the eyes most of the time. By the way, I hated my foreign language class, too. _

_Oh. My. God. I have the same exact thing on MY bucket list, and it's even worded the same! The day after I wrote my bucket list, there was a tornado that touched down about ten miles away from where I lived. My dad and I just sat outside, waiting for it to come to our house, camera ready and everything, but it never did. I was SO pissed. Someday though, I'll get a picture, and then run like hell afterwards._

_From,_

_Ripley B._

_P.S. Are you a night owl like me? _

**...\~/...**

_Dear Ripley,_

_I just came up with something. I'll ask you five questions, you answer them, then you can ask me five questions, I'll answer them, so on and so forth. I think it would be pretty interesting to see what kind of questions are floating around in our minds. Okay, here's mine:_

_1. Are you listening to music right now? If so, what kind?_

_2. Do you live with anyone?_

_3. Who do you talk to more about your problems: mom or dad?_

_4. If you could date a famous actor, who would it be?_

_5. What does it look like outside of where you live and what's going on?_

_From, _

_Hikaru H._

_P.S. Lately, I haven't been able to sleep. There have been a lot of things on my mind._

**...\~/...**

_Dear Hikaru,_

_I like this idea. I've done it before, but I wasn't sure if I should've done it or not. _

_Right now, I'm listening to the Bucket List soundtrack. I thought it was fitting since we kept on mentioning bucket lists, so I pulled it up. If you've never seen the Bucket List, you need to rent it. One of my favorites. I live with four of my friends that were from high school. We live in a two-bedroom apartment, so there are two beds in one room and three in the other, but I usually sleep on the couch because I prefer it and it's better on my back. I go to my dad when I need to talk about my problems, probably because he usually has an answer for me, and he gives me honest ones, even if sometimes I wanted the sugar-coated answers. Famous actor...is it okay if I have a tie because it would be a tie between Liam Neeson and George Clooney. And outside our apartment, there are train tracks, and a train's passing by. There's also a gas station (which has four cars pulled into it) and a bar close by. The bar's closed right now._

_My turn!_

_1. What's the strangest punishment your parents have ever given you?_

_2. Do you have any pets?_

_3. Would you have super strength or super intelligence?_

_4. What's the most expensive thing you've ever bought someone?_

_5. Have you ever heard of the video games Fallout 3 or Fallout: New Vegas?_

_From, _

_Ripley B._

_P.S. You won't believe how much my friends nag me out sleeping. It's okay. Shows that they care._

**...\~/...**

_Dear Ripley,_

_Okay, so my mom's a fashion designer (Yuzuha Hitachiin ring any bells?) and she would design girl clothes all the time, so she would have Kaoru and I model them for her. Not really for a punishment because we got away with a lot of stuff, but because she just needed a model. So, yes, I've crossdressed majorly in my life. Sadly, I don't have any pets, but I'm thinking about getting something to keep me company. Maybe a dog... I'd rather have super intelligence. I feel as if you could do a lot more with intelligence than strength. Then, with my intelligence, I would find some way to create a chemical of some sort that would allow me to have super strength, so I would get the best of both deals. The most expensive thing would be a seven hundred dollar laptop for a friend of mine's graduation gift. Of course I had it formatted and personalized the way I wanted it so that added another two hundred, then I got them all the accessories and everything else, so in the end it was around a thousand dollars. But that was just my allowance, so I didn't care. And no, I've never heard of those games. I have a feeling I'm going to get scolded for not knowing them._

_1. Do you have any siblings?_

_2. What do you do when you're driving alone in a car?_

_3. What is one thing you won't eat?_

_4. What is one thing you learned in high school that is useless to you today?_

_5. Do you like roller coasters? Please say you do. I love those things._

_From, _

_Hikaru H. _

_P.S. There's a reason why they call New York City the 'City That Never Sleeps'. It's so freakin' loud at night._

**...\~/...**

_Dear Hikaru,_

_I have three older brothers- Joesph (Joey), Mark, and Quinton (Quin), so that makes me the baby of the family. I do a lot of things when I'm alone in my car. I sing, I eat on my way to work, and I talk to myself, but then again, I talk to myself all the time. Don't worry; I'm not crazy. Okay, the worst food in the whole wide world is liver. That stuff tastes disgusting, looks disgusting, and smells disgusting when it's being cooked. Ew... Oh, c'mon, you should know the answer to question four already: chemistry, of course. And hell yes I love roller coasters. I laugh my ass off when I ride them. Heck, I laugh my ass off when I watch commercials that have roller coasters in them. _

_1. What game consoles and video games do you have?_

_2. What do you draw the most?_

_3. It's probably really cold, but since you live in New York City, can you take a picture of the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree? Please? For me?_

_4. Have you been inside of a REAL comic book store? I bet they have a lot of those in the city..._

_5. Do YOU live with anyone?_

_YOU NEED TO PLAY FALLOUT! MY ALL-TIME FAVORITE GAME! All caps, so it's important._

_And holy shit, a thousand dollars for your allowance. You're loaded, aren't you?_

_From,_

_Ripley B. _

_P.S. I'm so jealous you live in NYC. I've always wanted to go there. Seen Spiderman lately?_

**...\~/...**

_Dear Ripley,_

_I currently have an Xbox 360 and I only have two games: Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Halo: Reach. I haven't been playing them lately. Video games haven't been enjoyable lately. Thanks to your second question, I had to go get my sketchbook and flip through it. I guess I sketch a lot of my friends. We took a lot of pictures in high school and sketching them not only allows me to practice facial and body structure, but it helps me reminisce. And sure, I can get you a picture of the Rockefeller Center Tree. I'll even get you pictures of other landmarks, too. No, I've never been in a REAL comic book store. I can find one and take a picture for you though, if it means that much to you. I've been looking for something to do. Answer to question five is a no, I don't live with anyone. Two of my friends that live in Massachusetts come to visit me a lot. They're staying here for right now until the weather calms down. _

_1. What do you draw a lot of? I'm interested. _

_2. What song do you listen to when you're pissed?_

_3. Are you a nerd? _

_4. Favorite color?_

_5. What's your sign?_

_By the way, you're going to have to ask the 'are you loaded' question in one of your five. _

_From, _

_Hikaru H. _

_P.S. Nope, haven't seen Spiderman. Sorry. I'll try and get a picture of him, too, if I can._

**...\~/...**

_Dear Hikaru, _

_I draw whatever enters my mind. Lately, its been dragons for some reason. Probably because I was watching this show and it had a dragon in it so I drew one. My collection of dragon drawings has increased since then. Oh Lord, um, I listen to 'I Hate My Life' by Theory of a Deadman when I'm pissed. Most parts of the song pretty much some up my life sometimes. Ha! Yes, yes I am a nerd, and proud! Favorite color is purple and my sign is Aquarius._

_Okay, so I'm not going to ask any more questions because I have to go. The papers were delivered just now and I have to fold them up and deliver them. Paper route... I'll send a message when I get home tonight. I'm going to be busy today. _

_From, _

_Ripley B._

_P.S. I think my inner nerdy fangirl just squealed. I hope you find Spiderman..._

_P.P.S. Why did you answer my Spiderman question, but not my 'are you loaded' question? _

**...\~/...**

He was sad to see her go.


	5. Awkward Moments, Sludge, And Apologies

**Step #5**

**Avoid Awkward Moments, Sludge, And Rushed Apologies**

**...\~/...**

**Hikaru Hitachiin**

I can't believe it. I just had five 'that awkward moment when...' moments in about two minutes. Sad part: the awkwardness didn't end after that. FML.

**Like - Comment - 20 Minutes Ago**

**Yuzuha Hitachiin, Takashi Morinozuka, Fuyumi Ootori and 8 others like this.**

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**Yuzuka Hitachiin **This just made my day!

**Hikaru Hitachiin **Thanks, mom. I'm glad my awkwardness amuses you.

**Yuzuha Hitachiin **You're welcome! Hey, you need to call your mother! Jerk...

**Hikaru Hitachiin **I will. I've been busy. I'll call you sometime this week.

**Yuzuha Hitachiin **Thanks, sweetie! That's all I ask for! Love you!

**Hikaru Hitachiin **Yeah, love you too.

**Kaoru Hitachiin **Hey, we need to have a video chat later today. You need to fill me in on your Red Hue match-up.

**Hikaru Hitachiin **I can do that.

**Yuzuha Hitachiin **Red Hue? My darling son got a Red Hue account? And he got a match? Hope she likes sourpusses!

**Kaoru Hitachiin **Yeah, sourpusses that don't call their brothers and mothers.

**Mitsukuni Haninozuka **Or their senpais! How come we always have to call you?

**Yuzuha Hitachiin **Yeah! I agree with Kaoru and Mitsukuni! You NEVER call me!

**Hikaru Hitachiin **What is this? Beat-up-on-Hikaru day? I'm not in the mood...

**Takashi Morinozuka **You're never in the mood.

**Hikaru Hitachiin **Ah, come on! Not you too!

**Mitsukuni Haninozuka **Yeah, cheer up, Hika-chan! We need you to be happy again!

**Kaoru Hitachiin **Yeah, I agree! An unhappy Hikaru is almost worst than an unhappy Kyoya!

**Takashi Morinozuka **Yeah...

**Yuzuha Hitachiin **Wait, my son's unhappy? When did this happen? See, he never fills me in on anything! How come no one told me?

**Mitsukuni Haninozuka **Mrs. Hitachiin, your son's been unhappy for awhile. He needs a hug from his beautiful mother!

**Hikaru Hitachiin **NO, I DO NOT! I DO NOT NEED A HUG FROM MY MOTHER!

**Kaoru Hitachiin **How about from your favorite brother?

**Hikaru Hitachiin **No...

**Mitsukuni Haninozuka **How about from Usa-chan?

**Hikaru Hitachiin **You still keep that stupid rabbit around?

**Mitsukuni Haninozuka **WAH! Usa-chan's not stupid! You're a meanie, Hika-chan!

**Hikaru Hitachiin **What else is new?

**Takashi Morinozuka **What about Piyo?

**Hikaru Hitachiin **The chicken...? Uh, sorry, sempai, but no.

**Takashi Morinozuka **:(

**Kaoru Hitachiin **Seriously, video chat sometime today. Okay?

**Hikaru Hitachiin **Yeah, I will, okay?

**Kaoru Hitachiin **Yep! That's all I want. I want to know all about this Red Hue stranger.

**Hikaru Hitachiin **Yeah, okay.

**Mitsukuni Haninozuka **Oooo, Hika-chan's got a girlfriend!

**Hikaru Hitachiin **She's not my girlfriend. I just met her.

**Mitsukuni Haninozuka **I want to know about her too!

**Yuzuha Hitachiin **Yeah, me too!

**Takashi Morinozuka **Yeah...

**Hikaru Hitachiin **Alright, alright, I'll tell everyone about her later.

**Tamaki Suoh **OMG! Hikaru has a girlfriend! NO WAY! When did this miracle happen! Is she pretty? Hikaruuuu! How come you haven't called?

**Hikaru Hitachiin **...I'm leaving...I have a headache already...

**Tamaki Suoh **Wait, don't go! Quick! Someone fill me in!

**...\~/...**

Hikaru tore off a bit of his cinnamon raisin bagel, chewing it slowly as he watched the street before him. People passed him without the slightest sign of acknowledgement towards him, but he didn't care. Well, actually, there was this one group of girls that passed him, and giggled nervously when they saw him, blushes dusting their cheeks. He found it funny how women liked the look of him, but when they actually experienced his personality (he had to agree with his mom and Kaoru; he _was _a bit of a grump), women looked the other way. He was beginning to think he was going to die alone.

His phone buzzed every five seconds with another message telling him about a comment someone made on his Facebook status. Apparently, from what he read, his brother, Hunny, and Mori filled Tamaki in on what was going on. That idiot's comments gave him a headache just reading them. And the worst thing about it was that the fool seemed to have forgiven him for being a complete ass at his own wedding reception. Now, Hikaru wondered if Haruhi had forgiven him, too. Probably; she seemed like the kind of person that wouldn't hold grudges due to the fact they were too troublesome.

Hikaru sighed, hanging his head. Too bad he hadn't forgiven himself yet.

The snow had stopped, but there was a light breeze that blew snow off the roofs, coating Hikaru in a soft dust. He looked up when he heard laughing, only to see a group of kids across the street running on the pavement, building speed, then sliding across the icy surface. One boy lost his balance, falling backwards onto his rear. Everyone laughed at him, but he soon started laughing as well. Hikaru smiled softly at the sight. He remembered when he and Kaoru used to do the same thing, but they would have been quickly snatched by their nanny, and taken back in. She had always complained about their reckless behavior. He had to wonder how that old woman was doing now.

Taking another bite from his bagel, he felt his phone buzz in his pocket, but he didn't bother taking it out. His mind was too busy for it had wandered back to earlier that morning when he had left his apartment to pick up breakfast. When he had closed his door to his apartment, someone else had closed their's at the same time. He turned around, only to have met the eyes of Sarah herself. They had kept their gaze locked for about five seconds until they broke it off, taking their first step at exactly the same time.

That's when the awkward moments began.

1. That awkward moment when someone says 'hello' and you say 'good thanks'.

"Hey." she said softly when they had begun their descent down seven flights of stairs.

"Good. Thanks." That's when he realized what he said. "I mean...uh...never mind."

2. That awkward moment when you walk with a failed date in complete silence.

Neither of them had said anything to one another after the greeting. All he heard were the echoes of their footsteps bouncing off the walls, the jingle of their keys with each step they took, and the thump of her purse against her leg. He remembered how he had wished for her to disappear or for him to suddenly teleport back inside his apartment or for him to wake up from some nightmare, but no, nothing happened. The only thing that had happened was he performed awkward moment three once they reached the bottom.

3. That awkward moment when you stumble on the last two steps and your failed date stares at you.

He had tripped over his own goddamned feet once he had reached the second to last step. He went to make another and there he had gone. On his way down, he swore he heard her giggle, and he knew for sure she had snickered when he tried to act cool about his stumble. But Hikaru had found out the hard way that you can't make clumsy look cool.

4. That awkward moment when you push on a door you're supposed to pull, though it's clearly signed.

That stupid door hadn't budged no matter how many times he had tried to push it open. Finally, Sarah had nudged him aside, pulling the door open for him.

He had felt like an idiot. Still did, now that he thought about it.

But that hadn't been the end of the awkwardness.

5. That awkward moment when you say good-bye to someone and then walk in the same direction as them.

That's what happened exactly. He had said good-bye, as did she with a little wave.

And they walked in the same freakin' direction.

Not only that, but they walked into the same freakin' bakery.

The Heavens had not been with him this morning.

Hikaru remembered clearly what had happened after they walked into the bakery together. The owners of the store had looked up at them, large, cheeky smiles spreading across their faces. The woman behind the counter nodded a farewell to one of her customers, then had devoted her attention to Hikaru and Sarah.

"Aw, look at the two of you!" she had said. "Early to be out on a date, isn't it?"

"We're not on a date." he and Sarah had said at the same time. The baker had dropped the subject when she recognized their bitter tones.

Hikaru had allowed Sarah to put her order in first, the baker immediately focusing in on the bruise on Sarah's jaw. "Man, what happened to you?" Sarah hadn't answered, only taken her bag of baked goods and paid when they were given to her. Hikaru stepped up next, the baker giving him the same questioning gaze, and when the elderly woman had been about to ask him a question, he had run like the wind, calling out Sarah's name.

"Wait, hold on!" he had shouted, his breath coming out in visible clouds. "Wait..." he said, slowing down when she turned around.

"What do you want? I don't really want to talk to you right now." she had said sharply.

"I owe you an apology. I'm sorry about being an ass the other day. I was out of line."

Sarah had stepped up towards him, eyes and eyebrows narrowed. "Yeah, you do. You had to be the worst date I've ever had."

"Yeah, well..."

"And have you ever heard of people being entitled to their own opinions? So what if I didn't like your friend's cooking? Did it hurt you in any way?"

"No, but-"

"Plus, you kept on leaving me in the living room alone. What guy does that? I heard you talking to someone in the kitchen? Another girl?"

He couldn't get one word out before she had taken another step towards him. "I let that go, though, because I saw that you had been nervous."

She had kept going, complaining about how horrible he had been, and how bad she had felt throughout the entire date. Hikaru remembered how she had never failed to remind him of the fact she had cried all night due to his harsh words. That's when he begun to think of her as a bit of a crybaby. God, it had been one insult. It hadn't been like he degraded her whole family and future grandchildren. If people were entitled to their own opinions, wasn't him thinking her laugh was annoying and stating so just an opinion? Her words must have only been for her errors... Once she had walked away, once she was out of earshot, he had muttered, "Bitch..."

6. That awkward moment when you say something rude about someone and that same person can still hear you.

Sarah had turned right around and slapped him, right across his cheek.

He really needed to learn to watch his mouth.

So, here he was, nibbling absentmindedly on a bagel, while watching the kids across the street glide across the icy pavement.

"Hey, mister!" a voice from across the street shouted.

Hikaru looked over, seeing a young boy staring straight at him, beckoning him over. Hikaru pointed at himself, the kid nodding, still waving him over.

"Wanna join us? You seem bored!"

Hikaru hesitantly stood up before walking over, watching how every kid stopped to stare at him. The young boy gestured towards the icy spot. "Go ahead, mister, you can go."

And he did. Hikaru walked backwards a bit, then ran forward, stopping just when he reached the slippery surface, sliding across the ice perfectly. Kids laughed when he started to chuckle, which turned into a full-fledged laugh when he slid across the pavement a couple more times. Being around these kids made his worries melt away. Something about their care-free, laid-back nature calmed him and he found enjoyment in what he was doing. Just goofing off, something he hadn't done in awhile. Heck, the last time he actually played around was when he was in the Host Club, and that had been four years ago.

Man, he missed them all.

"What happened to your face, mister?" a little girl asked him, tugging on his sleeve.

"I got into a fist-fight when someone." he replied.

The girl's eyes grew wide, her lips shaped in the perfect 'O'. "Wow! Didja win?"

"No..." Great, now the kid was probably think he was pathetic or something.

"Hey," It was the young boy that invited him again. "Was it that big guy that walked into your apartment building yesterday? He had a black eye and he was walking with a girl that had a bruise on her face. Mama said they looked bad."

"Uh, yeah. That was him."

"Man, you're lucky he didn't kill you. You know he just got out of jail, right?"

He was afraid to ask. "What did he do exactly to land himself in jail?" Why'd he have to ask?

"Mama said he beat a man to death. Says the man he killed pissed him off. Shot their mouth off about his sister, uh, Samantha...Sally...?"

"Sarah...?" He just had to say it.

"Yeah! Sarah! That's what it was!"

God, he felt sick.

"Ray, my feet are cold!" a little girl to the young boy's side complained, tugging on his shirt. Hikaru looked down at her sneakers, seeing how they shined from the water that had settled on them. The water had to be freezing and it had probably soaked right through, drenching her little feet. "Can we go in?" she asked, a whine in her high-pitched voice. Hikaru felt himself frown when the young boy known as Ray nodded. Hikaru watched the boy take each of his sisters by the hand, guiding them inside.

Ah, loneliness, how you were _not _missed.

Hikaru looked down at his own feet, noticing how his boots had managed to keep the water from soaking through. One of the many benefits of being rich was the higher quality of his clothes and materials and for once, after hearing that little girl complain about her cold feet, he felt grateful for what he had. Whenever he bought something, he never really thought anything of their value. That's when a light bulb went off in his head. What if he opened a chain of clothing stores that sold designer labels, but for cheap prices, the kind that commoners could afford. If the less fortunate found out the great quality, they would surely flock those stores, and buy things all the shelves like there was no tomorrow. it would make a good profit and the lower class would be a bit warmer during the winter holidays.

"Hey, get yer ass out the middle of teh fuckin' road!"

Hikaru jumped back when a horn blared at him. His foot slid onto something slippery, causing him to fall back on his rear.

Water splashed onto him, soaking into his coat, causing a chill to run up his spine. No other car bothered to slow down to see if he was alright or to help him up. Rude... Hikaru stood up slowly, careful about his footing as he stepped towards the sidewalk. His pants were drenched, the flesh beneath prickling from the sudden change in temperature. There was an imprint of his ass in the sludge where he landed. He had to smirk at that. It looked pretty funny.

Sludge. He was noticing it now.

Ripley _was _right. It did make everything dirty. Hikaru looked to left and right, taking notice of the sludge that rested in the curves of the curbs.

He guessed that everything beautiful had an ugly side as well. Snow was gorgeous when it fell, but then it melted into filthy sludge.

He hated sludge now.

**...\~/...**

"I don't give a damn if he was in jail."

"But Tara, he _killed _someone. You _punched _him, remember?"

"Of course I remember. If he comes after me, I'll make sure he regrets it." Tara leaned forward, arms folded on top of the island table. "However, what are _you_ going to do about _yourself_. You live right across from that broad and if he really did kill someone because they were making fun of her, shouldn't you be more worried for your own safety?"

"I can always call the police."

"Yeah, sure, whatever. That gives the asshole at least twenty minutes of playing around with you until they actually arrive, and that's _if _traffic's light."

He felt himself gulp. He felt like he was going to puke. He should never have been worrying about _Sarah _being a serial killer, he should've been worrying about her freakin' _brother _being a murderer. Once Kyoya got up, Hikaru was going to ask him immediately to look up Sarah's brother and see if the accusations were true. If they were, well...Sarah's monster of a brother was just one more thing to add to the list of things that would devoid him from sleep. Hikaru sighed, running his hands up and down his face, rubbing his eyes in order to get rid of some of the droopiness in them. His whole body felt heavy and he just wanted to curl up and sleep, but his mind prevented him from actually having a good's night sleep. He was beginning to hate his mind.

"Have you tried sleeping with music or the TV on?" Tara asked, staring straight into his light-colored eyes.

"No, it doesn't work. With music, I just want to listen to it and hope a good song comes on next, and with TV, I always have to watch what happens next."

"Read a really boring book."

"Like what?"

"A chemistry book. I always wanted to fall asleep while studying."

Tara raised an eyebrow when a grin broke out across Hikaru's face. Seeing a smile on his face was almost foreign now, but she liked seeing it on him. She always thought he was handsome when he was smiling.

"That smile's kinda creepin' me out. What?"

"Just...what you said. It sounded like something Ripley said last night."

"Oooo, Ripley, you say? So, what's she like so far?"

"She's...um... Let's just say it was refreshing to talk to her. We just talked about meaningless stuff, something that I haven't been able to do in awhile."

"So talking to her helped you relax?"

"In a way; the whole time I was nervous that I would say something she didn't like or found creepy."

"Damn, kid, you need to stop worrying all the damn time. It's going to kill you."

"Great, another thing to worry about: death." He said it with light-heartedness and he meant it as a joke, but Tara's expression told him she didn't find it funny. Did she really think he didn't know his way of thinking nowadays was unhealthy for him? No, he was highly aware of it, but he couldn't help it. Thoughts of Haruhi, thoughts of how he didn't get her due to his personality, thoughts of everything bad that had happened to him growing up seemed to plague his mind. He hated...no, loathed his mind. His thoughts seemed to be slowly draining him of energy, changing the way he did things. Hikaru remembered how he used to do things with enthusiasm and vigor, but now he shuffled along with his feet dragging and he wasn't excited about anything. Nowadays, he had to force himself to continue on, he had to fight off the want to just pass out and hopefully get some sleep. Hikaru looked up at Tara, watching how she pulled lent off her sweater. She had insomnia for a long time; maybe she knew ways to fall asleep.

"How did you finally sleep without your mind getting in the way?" he asked her.

Tara looked up at him, "A proper sleeping medication the Ootori family developed and..."

Hikaru noticed how her face took a deeper hue, a blush taking over her fair complexion. "Go on. You can tell me."

Before Tara could open her mouth, a pair of arms wrapped around her shoulders from behind. Kyoya had entered the room when Hikaru had asked her his question and had heard his girlfriend's answer. Now, Tara's whole face, neck, and ear were a perfect shade of scarlet as Kyoya pulled her against him, her back pressed firmly against his chest.

"And I would hold her at night and make all the horrible visions that infected her mind go away. Wasn't that what you were going to say, love?"

"Um...well...I...uh..."

Kyoya leaned forward, his mouth near her ear. "Hmm? Wasn't that what you were going to say?"

That's when Tara pushed him off, jumping from her seat. She shoved the box full of bagels towards him, shouting, "Here, breakfast!", and rushed out of the kitchen. Kyoya stood there, staring at the door his girlfriend rushed out through, one hand secured on his waist and his other hanging freely at his side. Then he sighed, running his fingers through his messy hair. His sempai hadn't gotten ready for the day yet, still dressed in his pajamas, hair messy, and his glasses were off.

"The consequences of having a prude for a girlfriend." Hikaru muttered. The whole scene that had unfolded in front of him bothered him greatly. He hoped they would never do it again. Tara was probably stuttering apologies to him, ones that he would never hear, since she knew how uncomfortable he felt when people displayed affection in front of him. Kyoya looked over at him after Hikaru made the comment and smirked. "It's fun tormenting her. She gets so embarrassed." Hikaru had to feel sorry for Tara sometimes; having a boyfriend that enjoyed tormenting people and making them squirm must be rough for her sometimes.

Kyoya sighed again, "I should go see if she's alright."

Once Kyoya stepped through the door, Hikaru shouted, "Hey, don't do anything gross in my bed! I don't want to buy a new one!"

A devilish smirk from the Shadow King was all he got.

**...\~/...**

_Dear Hikaru,_

_I managed to sneak in a message while no one was looking. How's your day so far, Mr. Hitachiin?_

_From,_

_Ripley B._

_P.S. Is it still snowing there?_

**...\~/...**

_Dear Ripley,_

_What exactly are you doing? And how was your paper route? Also, my day's been pretty crappy so far. You?_

_From,_

_Hikaru H._

_P.S. No, it's not snowing anymore. I have a feeling my friends are going back to Massachusetts today. Sadness..._

**...\~/...**

_Dear Hikaru,_

_My paper route went fantastic, considering it was freezing this morning. I got a big paycheck though with lots of tips from the customers. They appreciate the paper being delivered to them on time and they take pity on the deliverers due to it being so flippin' cold. Now, I'm with my dad and brothers, and we're cutting up this tree that fell yesterday during the storm. My dad and eldest brother own an arboring business, plus they do landscaping on the side. My two other brothers and I help out most of the time. Today's been pretty busy. We've already cut up four trees and we keep getting calls. Then, my friend and I work at a bookstore until four to closing time, which is usually ten. Then, we're all going to a late night movie. I hope to get some drawing, writing, or video game playing in there. _

_WHY ARE YOU HAVING A CRAPPY DAY? I forbid you from having a crappy day!_

_From, _

_Ripley B. _

_P.S. I'm sorry about your friends possibly leaving today. By the way, what are your friends' names?_

**...\~/...**

_Dear Ripley,_

_Have you ever heard of something called sleep?_

_And the reason for my crappy day is a very long reason. Okay, here goes. There's this girl I took on a date a while back and I kind of...insulted her. Well, you can probably guess that it ended rather horribly, and she's kind of making a big deal over it. In my defense, she wasn't being a very polite guest. She was complaining about dinner and everything else. Anyways, today, we left our apartments at exactly the same time (she lives right across from me) and we ended up going to the same freakin' bakery! I tried to apologize and she went all off on me. I called her a bitch under my breath, but she heard it, and slapped me. But you should've heard her, Rip! Can I call you that? So, that's my day so far. Plus, my face hurts, and I haven't been able to sleep at all lately. _

_Sorry...I just had to get all that out._

_From, _

_Hikaru H. _

_P.S. My friends' names are Tara and Kyoya, they're a couple. _

**...\~/...**

What if she thought of him as a complete asshole after this message? It all just came out. Talking to a stranger was so easy. He'd have to try it with another person. Watch that person be a complete jackass and punch him in his other eye. With how his luck has been going, that person would most likely be Sarah's father or cousin who's a bodybuilder of some kind.

His phone buzzed and he was nervous to read it.

He opened it anyway.

**...\~/...**

_Dear Hikaru,_

_What did you say to her that made her so pissed off? And how rude was she for complaining about dinner? If I complained during a date and my dad found out, he'd work me to death, making me do hundreds of chores around the house, and make me feel bad for being an ass on the date. And how awkward? Dude, I wouldn't even know what to do in your situation. At least you tried to apologize; if she wants to be a complete bitch, then let her. And...why does your face hurt? _

_ It's fine to rant. Sometimes it's better to get everything out. I'm cool with you ranting to me. _

_By the way, what's sleep? I've never heard of such a thing._

_From, _

_Rip B. (It's okay if you call me Rip. Everyone else does.)_

_P.S. My dad and brothers say hi. _

**...\~/...**

A warm feeling spread throughout his body when she said all that. He was glad she didn't think he was an ass after what he said.

**...\~/...**

_Dear Rip,_

_Thanks for letting me rant, so here's some more ranting. Yesterday, I was at my favorite café, and the girl I took on a date came in with this guy. At first I thought he was her new date, but I'll tell you what I found out about him a little bit later. So, I was minding my own business, when her date comes over. This guy was HUGE! Picture the Hulk, except he wasn't green. He demanded that I apologize to her and I said no. After that, things got kind of heated. He kept on demanding and I kept on getting more and more mouthy. Finally, he went off and socked me a good one in the eye. Black eye... Then, he wouldn't stop. I was on the ground and he kicked me in the stomach and punched me in the jaw and nose. Bruised jaw and broken nose... In the end, Kyoya and Tara came to my rescue. Tara punched both the brute and the date. _

_But guess what I found out? He wasn't her date, he was her BROTHER, and he had just gotten out of JAIL! _

_You want to know what he did to get in the slammer? He beat a guy to death for making fun of his sister...and I insulted her on our date!_

_From,_

_Hikaru H._

_P.S. Tell them I said hi back._

**...\~/...**

He was kind of hoping she'd fawn over him. He wondered if Ripley was the kind of woman that fussed over people when they hurt.

Hikaru had his chin rested on his folded arms, staring at his phone for a few seconds to wait for the screen to light up, and then he would close his eyes. He tried clearing his mind for five minutes, hoping that maybe he would finally slip into a deep sleep. If he did, he especially hoped that he wouldn't be plagued by dreams about Haruhi. Those were the worst. They were always about a life married to her. In his dreams, they would do couple-like things, like stick Post-It notes on every surface of the house (or he would because Haruhi would think it was stupid), and every Post-It would be about how he loved her and adored her. In his dreams, he would hold her close, press her flush against him during the night, and he would feel like the luckiest man in the whole world because he had the most beautiful woman in his arms. In his dreams, he would kiss her with passion, and she would return it. But, in the end, he would wake up, surrounded by his empty apartment, and there wouldn't be Haruhi sleeping next to him, and there would be no love around him. It would be just him. His thoughts of her never escaped him and the results of those thoughts were beginning to show.

It had been twenty minutes and there was still no message from Ripley. She probably went back to work. Man, he needed a job.

He wondered if Ripley would think the Post-It note thing was stupid.

He wondered if she thought cuddling was stupid.

He wondered if she would think a lot of his ideas were stupid.

He really wanted to do the Post-It note thing with someone...

It had now been twenty-five minutes. Yeah, he was sure she went back to work. He hoped she wouldn't hurt herself...

Hikaru scanned the island tabletop, spotting a piece of paper that was at arms reach. He brought it over to him, pulling a pen out of his back pocket he always carried, and began to write questions down, questions that he wanted to ask Ripley.

_If you were in a relationship, what's one romantic thing you want to do with your significant other?_

_Do you want kids? If so, how many? Do you want boys more than girls or girls more than boys? What would you name them?_

_How old were you when you went on your first date?_

_Do you want the guy to make the first move or do YOU want to make the first move?_

_What would be your ideal honeymoon?_

_What kind of wedding do you want to have?_

_Do you think cuddling is stupid?_

_Do you think I'm stupid for asking all these pointless questions? _

_Let's say your best friend is a guy and he's been hung up on this girl for about six years, but she's married now and your guy friend is tearing himself apart over it. What would you say to him to comfort him? Or would you think he was completely and totally stupid for loving that girl for so long, even if you knew she was never going to be his? _

_What if you'd never known that about your guy friend and he had suddenly told you all about it? How would you feel?_

_What if you secretly liked him? Would you be jealous of this girl, want to help your guy friend because you care about his feelings more than yours, or both?_

_Would you want to listen to him talk about this girl, despite the fact that you like him?_

_Would you confess your feelings to him, despite the fact that he's still hurting?_

_How would you react if he said he didn't like you back?_

_Would you_

"Hikaru," a voice said from the kitchen door. He stopped writing, looking up from his work. Tara was standing in front of the door, her coat on. That meant one of two things: one, she and Kyoya were going out for awhile, or two, they were leaving to go back home. He assumed it was going to be the latter of the options. By the way she looked at him told him it was. He was going to miss them. "Kyoya and I...well, we have to leave. We were due back yesterday and we both have people calling us in panic already. Are you going to be okay?"

Was he going to be okay? He knew she already knew the answer. "Uh, yeah, I'll be fine. You left me enough food to last a year." he joked.

Tara didn't like his attempt at lightening the mood. "Hikaru, I'm serious. I don't want you doing anything stupid when we're gone."

What did she mean by stupid? Stupid being getting-himself-beaten-to-a bloody-pulp-by-killer-brothers stupid or throwing-himself-off-buildings-in-an-effort-to-fly stupid? Hikaru stood up, sighing. "Alright, sempai, I promise not to do anything you would do."

She smirked at that. "Good. 'Cause I know if you did something I did, you'd find yourself behind bars."

"Tara-senpai, someday you're _going _to be put behind bars."

"Yeah, I know. I'm constantly reminded by that smartass bastard I'm dating. He told me he wasn't going to bail me out. And here I thought your significant other was supposed to be comforting and always there for you. Glad to find out that I thought wrong. I hate being wrong."

"We know that. The last time you were wrong, you punched someone out of random because you were angry, remember?"

Tara didn't answer, she just pushed through the kitchen door. Hikaru followed her, hands shoved deep into his pockets. Kyoya was standing in the living room, pulling on his coat. Tara stopped beside him, grumbling.

"What in the world are you grumbling about now?" Kyoya asked, buttoning his coat.

"You."

The man smirked, "And whatever did I do now?" he asked casually.

"Nothing. I was reminded that you're a bastard."

"Is that all? Because we'll definitely be staying here another night if we listened to you complain. Come along, we're wasting precious time."

Hikaru walked to the door, opening it for them. His two guests walked out and he followed them to the stairs.

"Hey, look, it's fucktard himself." Tara said loudly.

Hikaru, who had been busy watching where he was stepping, didn't notice Sarah's brother coming up the stairs. The brutish man's face was screwed up in a scrowl and Hikaru saw that Tara's upper lip was pulled up in disgust, her eyes narrowed and eyebrows furrowed. The two glared at each other until the brute broke it off to stare menacingly at Hikaru. The ash-haired twin met his angry gaze for five seconds before he diverted his eyes to the ground. The brute and Hikaru passed each other on the stairs.

He should've known something was going to happen.

Once a hand pressed firmly on his back and pushed, he knew he was in trouble. Once he did the first somersault down the stairs, he knew he was going to hurt like hell after. Once he stopped, he looked up at the brute, and cringed visibly when he smiled sinisterly at him. Hikaru didn't want Kyoya and Tara to leave. When they left, he knew already that this man, this _killer_, was going to put him through hell. He know wished he had the ability to go back in time. If he did, he would stop himself from asking Sarah out, warning himself that if _she _asked _him _out, he would tell himself to say no. But he couldn't and he was now suffering the consequences of having no control over his mouth. Hikaru's body ached when he stood up shakily, clutching his wrist. He probably sprained it. No biggie...

"What the hell, man?" Hikaru shouted at him, eyes narrowed. "I tried apologizing to your sister! She went off on me!"

The brute grinned maliciously, "Yeah, but then you called her a bitch. Better luck next time...if there is a next time."

Tara stepped up, "If you lay one hand on him, you'll wish you were setting a deal with the devil rather than dealing with me."

"And what are you going to do, bitch, slap me silly?" he retorted mockingly.

"Fuck you..."

"No thanks. I already have a girl waiting for me at home."

Tara quirked an eyebrow, "Oh, I thought she was your sister."

That set him off. He started running down the stairs, the three of them rushing down the flights before them. The brute was hot on their trail when they reached the exit, pushing the door open. Tara ripped the passenger seat open for Kyoya and Hikaru, diving into the driver's seat. Once Kyoya crawled in after Hikaru and closed the door, a fist collided against the passenger window. They all looked to see Sarah's brother bringing his fist back for another punch, but Tara had started the ignition by then, and they were off.

Tara rolled down the window, yelling, "See ya never, fucktard!"

**...\~/...**

The ring of the bells on the front door of Alexander's Café caused many people to look up from their lunch. One person in particular was Nathan Alexander, the owner of Alexander's Café and Tara's father. His jaw dropped when he saw Hikaru's appearance and rushed over. "What the hell happened?" he said loudly. A customer to his side cleared their throat loudly and Nathan looked over, nodding. "Um, sorry about that, ma'am. No more pottymouth comin' from me." Nathan then put a hand on Hikaru's back, guiding them through the many tables. Hikaru heard many gasps come from women when they saw his face and he even heard a child say, "Mommy, what happened to that man?"

When they were safely secured behind kitchen doors, Nathan turned to the three of them. "What the hell happened?"

"Well, you see-"

"Did Tara say something to cause this? She pissed someone off, didn't she? Tara!"

Tara gaped at him, "How come something bad happens, you always think it's me that causes it?" she exclaimed.

"Because I _know_ you."

Hikaru's head hurt, the wounds on his face pained him, and he just wanted to sleep. He saw how everyone in the kitchens stopped what they were doing to stare at him. He felt like the main freak in a freak show and he hated it. He wanted them to stop staring, he wanted them all to go away, he wanted to disappear. His eyes felt heavy and he probably looked like shit. He sure felt it.

"Can I...can I sleep?" he asked Nathan quietly.

He felt Nathan rest a hand on top of his head, ruffling his hair gently. "Sure, kid. You can take my bed for tonight. I'll sleep on the couch." Nathan turned towards a teenage boy who was silently standing in the far right corner of the kitchens, working intently on a dish he was preparing. "Hey, Luke, show Hikaru where my room is upstairs, please."

The boy known as Luke nodded quickly, walking out of the kitchens, Hikaru following him.

When Luke opened the door to Nathan's bedroom in the apartment upstairs, Hikaru pushed past him, dove into the bed, and allowed his world to turn black.

**...\~/...**

**Kaoru Hitachiin to Hikaru Hitachiin**

Hey, you jerk, when are you going to call me? I keep calling, but you won't answer.

**Like - Comment - 2 hours ago**

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**Tara Alexander **Hikaru won't be calling for awhile. He's finally asleep. Thank God 'cause he needed it.

**Kaoru Hitachiin **Is everything alright? Are you at his place right now?

**Tara Alexander **No, we're at my dad's. There was a little...mishap...

**Kaoru Hitachiin **Again, with the mishaps! What happened this time?

**Tara Alexander **It would be better if I called you.

**Kaoru Hitachiin **Okay...

**...\~/...**

"_So, he's fresh out of jail, huh?_"

"Yeah, but he's not as dangerous as we thought. Kyoya looked him up and he was only thrown in jail for battery, not murder."

"_Yeah, but he's still attacking my brother, and that's unacceptable._"

"I know. I asked my dad and he said that Hikaru was allowed to stay for however long he wanted. I think it would do your brother some good to stay with someone for now. I'm...worried about him."

"_Me too. Hikaru's always been rash, but he was always smart about it. This whole thing with Haruhi is really changing him._"

Silence.

"_Do you think he would do anything...drastic? Do you think he's that broken-hearted?_"

"I don't know, Kaoru. He's your twin. Use your twin telepathy or something."

"_Sorry, it's out of order._" There was a small chuckle on the other line.

"Does Haruhi or Tamaki know what's going on?"

"_I don't think so. Hikaru's pretty much shut them out of his life after the incident at the wedding._"

That was a time _no one _wanted to remember.

"_I could talk to her. Maybe she could talk some sense into him._"

"No, That's not a good idea. I don't think he can handle being shot down a second time at the moment."

"_You're right. Stupid idea._"

More silence. This wasn't a usual phone call for them. They usually joked around when they called one another.

"There is...one thing that could work."

"_Are you thinking what I'm thinking?_"

"I don't know. Are you thinking about a certain person on Red Hue?"

"_Yep. Maybe they'll form a connection and he can finally move on. If not, he'd need to get help._"

"Kaoru, he talked about her earlier today. He _smiled_."

"_That must've been a sight to see._"

"It was. Indeed, it was."

"_I'm worried about him. I...don't know what to do. It's all up to him to get over her._"

"Hun, I think everyone's worried about him right now."

"_I'm...**scared. **I don't want him to do something horrible to himself. If...if...he..._"

"Kaoru, calm down, take a deep breath. He has friends here. Kyoya and I have been talking about moving here to be with him. He won't say it, but I think Kyoya's the most worried out of all of us over here."

"_Heh, yeah, he probably is._"

"Kaoru, I have to go. We have to start heading back to Massachusetts."

"_Alright. Hey, tell him I love him, 'kay?_"

"Yeah...I'll do that." Click.

Tara turned her body slightly, looking down on Hikaru's sleeping form. He was hugging a pillow to him, his head resting on another, and for once in a really long time, he looked peaceful. Tara remembered the first time she had met Hikaru and she couldn't tell him from Kaoru. It had frustrated her to no end, plus she and Hikaru had never really gotten along. She and Kaoru connected quite easily, but she and Hikaru...nuh uh, there had been no connection for the longest time. Until one day, when he said something nasty to her, and she pinned him against the wall, was when they actually started to bond. She had told him that she would try her hardest in telling them apart, that she could approach either one of them and call them by their name without getting them mixed up. And she did, finally. After that, they clicked. He was her confidant on most issues and she was his. She had cheered him on silently for his battle for Haruhi and she, too, felt defeated when he got rejected. It had been like watching her favorite soccer team lose the championship, but worse. He had put on a smile for everyone, faking it for everyone, but she had seen right through his mask, as did everyone else, except for the two oblivious idiots- Tamaki and Haruhi.

"Haruhi, I bet you have no idea how much pain you've caused for him." Tara muttered.

She knew how Hikaru felt; she had been in the same place all those years ago. She had asked Kyoya what he thought of the brunette and his answer had suggested that he had harbored some sort of feelings for her. That was when Tara found herself hosting that hideous green beast and she remembered how awful she felt every time she saw Kyoya and Haruhi talking to one another, walking with one another, being with one another. Envy can be an ugly thing when not controlled. She remembered the pain she had felt, the anger that coursed through her entire body all those years ago, and...she felt the helplessness, too. Tara hated being helpless, all her life she had no time to be helpless. When she had imagined herself helpless all those years ago, it would have been because she got into some terrible accident and was left disabled, not over some boy. But she had, she had felt powerless when she realized that she had no power to control the feelings of others. If Kyoya had fallen for Haruhi, Tara wouldn't have had any power to change that.

"But look where I wound up." She looked at Hikaru. "However, I don't think it'll be the same for you."

Silence.

"There are other fishes in the sea and it looks to me like you caught one."

More silence.

"You...smiled."

Even more silence.

"Please...I...please, don't do anything...stupid..."

Tara stood up, looking down on his sleeping form. She bent down, pressing her lips against his hair, running her hand through it.

"Don't do anything I would do...please..."

She almost didn't recognize her voice. It had cracked with the sound of pleading laced through it.

"Please..."

**...\~/...**

They had finally left with reluctance, but Nathan had assured them that everything would be okay, that he would handle everything. Tara's hands grasped the steering wheel firmly, focusing on the road ahead. Kyoya was in the passenger seat, typing away on his laptop, the light from the screen reflecting off his glasses. Night had fallen on them when they left and they were miles and miles away from the city. She wanted to turn back, but she knew she couldn't. She and Kyoya had their lives to deal with and they both knew that they couldn't do anything to help Hikaru but allow himself to accept his defeat in obtaining Haruhi.

Cars passed her.

They went under overpasses.

Semi-trucks rumbled past them.

Green signs with white letters told her where to exit and where to enter.

Suddenly, she slammed on the brakes, swerving onto the shoulder, and threw the car into park. Kyoya's laptop slid from his lap and clattered to his feet loudly. He carefully picked it up, checking for any damage.

"Could you _please _explain what in the-"

He paused when he saw her. Her eyes were focused on the road in front of her, but they were narrowed, like she was trying to contain something. Kyoya watched her rest her elbows on the top of the steering wheel, running her fingers through her hair, leaving them there.

"Just...give me a moment..."

And that's when she started to shake. He heard a sob escape her and she wouldn't look at him. He knew she hated crying in front of people, even him, the one that she was supposed to run to for comfort. Kyoya rested his hand on her back and she turned into him the best the console between them would allow her. He unbuckled himself, leaning further towards her, wrapping his other arm around her, the hand on her back reaching up to wrap her ponytail around it, a habit he had. The sobs continued and she shook. Kyoya, watching her now, never felt so helpless in his life. There was nothing he could do but allow the events to unfold and endure whatever was thrown at him. He wished he could fix it, he wished he had a plan, but it was all up to Hikaru.

Kyoya cooed her softly, whispering words to her that he wouldn't say on a normal basis.

He almost didn't recognize his voice.


	6. Sing A Lullaby

**Step #6**

**Sing A Lullaby**

**...\~/...**

When he and Kaoru were younger, they had a butler that they always demanded to sing them a lullaby. That butler had been a professional jazz singer before he came to work for them. He had had a beautiful voice, but age had affected it, causing it to not be as powerful and gorgeous as it once had been. But the lullaby stuck with Hikaru and Kaoru, whispering the words to one another when the butler could no longer sing. That butler was their favorite (besides their conniving nanny) and that man had been there with them for as long as Hikaru could remember. He had put up with their pranks, even laughed at them, and was always at their side, making sure they didn't get into _too _much trouble. His voice had been low with a jazzy undertone when he sang to them at night. Then, he would tuck them in, and dim the lights, leaving them to slip under Mr. Sandman's spell.

Hikaru lay on his side, clutching the sheets underneath him, staring into the darkness. It surrounded him, engulfing him in a shadowy shroud. He could smell Nathan's Old Spice cologne, the aroma of Tide detergent on the pillowcase, and the pine needle-scented candle that burned slowly on the nightstand. He could hear the deep rumble of Bing Crosby in the living room and he could hear the cars below passing by. He couldn't see much of anything, but he could make out the silhouettes of different objects around the room, and the flickering of the candle flame behind him gave the room a warm glow. The sheets beneath his fingertips were fuzzy and probably 100% cotton. And he could taste blood in his mouth, his tongue running over a sore in his mouth that he most likely got from biting the inside of his cheek accidently while he was asleep.

He didn't know why he had been thinking about that butler. He had been thinking about how empty the bed was and how he wished Kaoru was next to him, comforting him through these troubling times. Then, thoughts of Kaoru reminded him how they used to sleep in the same bed when they were kids, and how they would snuggle up against one another. That led to the silk sheets that used to wrap tightly around them at night and how those sheets were always tucked over them by one person: their butler. So that's how he got to the thoughts of his butler? Huh, he had a long thought process...

The song switched in the living room. It was still Bing Crosby, but Hikaru recognized the song.

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, too-ra-loo-ra-li._

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, hush, don't you cry._

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, too-ra-loo-ra-li._

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral_

"That's an Irish lullaby." Hikaru sang softly, singing a duet with Bing Crosby.

"Over in Killarney, many years ago. My mother sang a song to me in tones so sweet and low."

_Just a simple, little ditty in her good old Irish way._

_And I'd give the world if I could hear that song of her today._

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, too-ra-loo-ra-li._

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, hush, don't you cry._

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral, too-ra-loo-ra-li._

_Too-ra-loo-ra-loo-ral_

"That's an Irish lullaby." Hikaru whispered.

His butler's lullaby...

**...\~/...**

"Hey, get up. Breakfast is ready." a woman said, shaking him.

He swatted her hand away, pulling the covers over his head. His attempt to try and get rid of the rude woman was all in vain, however, for she just grabbed the sheets, and ripped them off of him. It was warm in the house, but the absence of the sheets caused him to shiver. He could smell the delicious aroma of eggs, bacon, and something sweet...waffles, the sweet aroma belonged to waffles. Below them, he could hear the muffled sounds of people talking, laughing, and the clinking of glasses when they set them down. Hikaru groaned as he opened his eyes, the sun's rays that streamed through the window blinding him.

More shaking and the woman said, "Get. Up. Now. Breakfast is ready. By the way, dad has a proposal for you."

Hikaru sat up, rubbing his face slowly. There was sleep in his eyes and he rubbed it away, golden eyes making their way to the rude woman. His gaze met the glare of none other than Tara's younger sister and Nathan's second oldest daughter, Megan Alexander. She was tall, like most of the people in the Alexander clan, and she had the same beautiful blue-green eyes as her father and sister. She, however, looked more like her mother, with reddish-brown hair and a more slender, womanly body, unlike her sister. Hikaru had to remind himself that this woman was just as vicious as Tara, even if she didn't possess violent tendencies. Megan had a bite worse than a snake and she had venom that was more potent as well. The Alexander family was known for their outgoing, highly-opinionated women, just like his family, with his mother, grandmother, and sister.

Megan pushed her glasses up the bridge of her nose, reminding him of Kyoya. "You should get down there before your food gets cold."

"Yeah, I will, just let me get ready first."

"You have ten minutes. If you're not down there, I'm coming up and dragging you down there."

"Yes, ma'am." When in the presence of an Alexander female, always say 'yes, ma'am', and she'll let you live a little longer.

Megan left the room, leaving Hikaru to his own devices. He wondered if Nathan would care if he borrowed some clothes. The door to the bedroom opened again, Megan sticking her head in to say, "Oh, and dad doesn't care if you borrow his clothes, and he said you can use whatever you want in his bathroom." And the door closed once more. Hikaru found it creepy how she came in and answered his thoughts. Tara did mention something about Megan having the freaky ability to do such a thing.

_Kaoru...can you feel my pain right now? We still have that twin telepathy, right?_

**...\~/...**

"Hikaru, you're disgusting, you know that?"

"What? Why?"

"The amount of syrup you're using...gross..."

"You put _mustard_ on your waffles..."

"That's normal."

"No, _that's _disgusting."

"_No, _that's _normal, _like me."

"Cass, there is no part of you that's _normal._ You're more..._abnormal._"

Honestly, he found the woman sitting next to him quite annoying. Cassidy Blair, the handywoman of Alexander's Café. There was truth behind his words, though; there was no way you could describe this girl as normal. For one, her dress code was atrocious. She loved polo shirts and beanie hats, wearing one of each every day. Megan had once told him that Cassidy's closet was full of nothing _but _polos, plus a couple of jackets. Cassidy's hair was dyed a flaming red with blazing orange and yellow tips. In the sun, it looked like her head was on fire, but you could only see this if she removed her hideous beanies. Then, there were her eating habits. She liked mustard on her waffles, chocolate syrup on her hamburgers, and orange juice in her Frosted Flakes. _He _was a bad dining companion? Ha, they've never met Cassidy then. Cassidy Blair, more or less, had the personality of a child. She snickered at crude humor, liked to give wet willies, and asked too many questions, usually questions that hit right on the mark of somebody's issues. Maybe she was a child with a large amount of perception? She was surely a child with high intelligence. Cassidy was currently attending New York City's university and trying to earn a degree in engineering. Her goal: To enter the Airforce and work on airplanes, her obsession. Maybe the military could whip her into shape...

Nonetheless, she was annoying.

"Hey, nice shiner... Can I poke it?" Cassidy asked, her finger getting closer and closer to his eye.

He swatted away her hand. "No, you can't _poke_ it."

"Can I poke his shiner?" a young woman across the table asked, a goofy grin spread across her features. Hikaru stared at the woman across from him, eyes narrowed.

Natalie Northwick, janitor of Alexander's Café. While Cassidy looked like a child, but had the brains of a genius, Natalie possessed the body of a goddess, but was empty upstairs. And it was completely and totally obvious that she harbored a crush on Hikaru. She was always looking for a reason to touch him- put her hand on his shoulder, pat his hair affectionately, hug him to death, the ways were endless. Plus, she was a total goof. She laughed at anything, even serious matters, and he could never figure out if she was just laughing to lighten the mood or she was laughing because she had no idea what was going on. And she had a _loud _laugh, a laugh that had enough power to burst someone's eardrums. Hikaru found her annoying as well, especially when she clung to his arm and dragged him everywhere.

"Does...um...does your eye hurt? Do you need...uh...ice?" a small, weak voice to his right questioned.

Kyle Henderson, waiter of Alexander's Café. If he had been a Host, he would've been labeled the Shy, Sweet, and Sensitive type, and he would've been wildly popular. He talked in a small voice and always seemed to have a blush on his cheeks, spreading out to his ears. He was medium-height with light brown, wavy hair that swooped down in front of his large, blue eyes. He was a klutz, too. Combine that with his personality and looks and you had an instant hit amongst the ladies. Women at the café loved to coo over him, especially the older ones, and they babied him to the max. The kid had no backbone, though, and he apologized too much and forgave too easily. But somehow, Hikaru couldn't believe this when it finally dawned on him, Kyle had managed to capture the heart of Megan Alexander, the vicious viper of the group. How she fell for a baby like him, Hikaru didn't know. Hikaru didn't like him; reminded him too much of Arai, Haruhi's old middle school friend. He should get over that...

"Hey, Luke, put away the comic, and join the conversation." Megan said, taking a sip of her orange juice.

"It's not a comic, it's manga."

Wow, the guy talked. Luke Bennett, one of the chefs at Alexander's Café. He was a silent otaku; Hikaru liked that Luke didn't squeal like Renge or try and change people's personalities like they were toys. During every break, Luke had his nose buried in a manga volume, and he always had on an anime shirt of some kind. Like Cassidy, he wore a black beanie over his black hair everyday, and Hikaru noticed that Luke had a habit of pulling it down just before his dark eyes when he was embarrassed, sad, or serious. He was known as the shadow of the group, Luke always lingered behind them. One of Luke's talents, which Hikaru hadn't had the chance to experience yet, was wood-working. Megan had mentioned something about the boy being a pro in his shop and Luke was attending college to be an architect. Luke wasn't annoying at all.

"Hikaru, do you want more syrup? That bottle's almost out." a woman between Megan and Natalie asked.

"Oh, uh, no thanks. I'm good."

Angela Carnegie, another chef at Alexander's Café and easily the most stunning in the group. With her sleek, black hair, flawless, dark skin, and perfect smile, she could've become a model with no problems, but she had other plans. Angela was interested in photography and was taking classes in college so she could become a professional. Hikaru had flipped through some of her scrapbooks and she was good at what she did. Hikaru connected with her the most out of everyone in the group. They both liked art and she made him feel warm, but he wasn't interested in her romantically. He enjoyed being just friends, but he regretted the fact he never contacted her. He should do that more...

There were whispers around them and they all seemed to be about him.

"Oh, look at that handsome man over there. I bet he has a beautiful girl in his life."

"Check out that total hottie over there! He's just my type!"

"Mom, what would you do if I came home with a man as sexy as _that?_"

Hikaru glared at Cassidy when he heard her snicker. "Who could ever be attracted to you? You're cranky."

Hikaru opened his mouth to say something, but Megan replied, "Tara told me that he and his brother used to do...twincest."

"Twincest? What's that?" Oh God no, don't answer Angela's question.

"Incest, but with twins." _Now _Luke was annoying.

"Ohhh, so that's why he doesn't have a girlfriend. He's gay." Cassidy was about to get punched.

"Who's gay?" someone from behind them asked.

They all looked over to see who their visitor and Hikaru's eyes widened to the size of saucers. Salem Warsaw, Cassidy's surrogate father. If there was anyone in the world Hikaru despised most, it was the man right in front of him. He was sarcastic, cold-hearted, and liked to mess with people's minds. For a long time, Hikaru figured him for a sociopath, but Salem had one person in his life that he cared for most: Cassidy. That childish girl had successfully managed to bury a hole under his skin and stay there. He cared for her and her only, and he had no shame in hurting others. Cassidy had tried on many occasions to find him a woman, but like Hikaru, every woman that Salem dated ended up emotionally scarred. Unlike Hikaru, however, Salem liked being alone. Salem was, for the most part, a snake.

"Hikaru and he has a thing for his brother." Cassidy answered.

"Huh, figured him for a queer. Hikaru, by the way, I'm not available." Salem said with a sneer.

"I'm not gay..."

"First step is always denial. Hey, do you know what brand these jeans are? They're really comfortable."

"Oh, those are Prada."

Salem lifted an eyebrow, "Second step is having an extensive knowledge of designer clothes. Fruit..."

"I am _not _gay." Hikaru hissed.

"Ooo, attitude. Kyle, don't you like them feisty?"

"U-uh, um...I w-wouldn't k-know..." Kyle sputtered out.

Now, Megan jumped up, slamming her fists against the table. The motion attracted a lot of attention. "Don't say that, Warsaw. What about you, huh? Too ashamed to admit that you prefer companions of the same gender rather than the opposite? Is that why you don't have a woman in your life?"

"Uh, _no. _I actually don't prefer anyone. But, enough about me, what about you, Meg? There must be a reason behind your vicious nature. Not gettin' any? Is Kyle not good enough?"

Megan growled, her face turning a dark scarlet. Hikaru couldn't help but notice that Kyle's was turning the same color.

"Ah, it seems I hit the mark. Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but duty calls. Also, Fruitcup-" Hikaru assumed it was him he was referring to by the way Salem stared directly at him. "-Nathan wants to have a word with you. He's in the back." Before Salem walked away, he caught sight of Cassidy's plate, and grimaced. "What the hell are you eating?"

"Mustard and waffles." Cassidy replied.

"You have fucked up taste buds." And he left after saying, "C'mon, fruitcup. The Big Boss is waiting."

**...\~/...**

"So, you want me to be a waiter?"

"Yep. Kyle already attracts a lot of customers due to him being such a cutie-pie. You, however, will attract the younger ladies."

"I feel like a Host again."

"And that's exactly why I want you to do it. You already have experience, but you're going to be paid because of it."

"Oh, you don't have to pay me. I'm already rich; I just want something to keep me occupied."

Nathan sent him a doubtful look, "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure."

A dark-skinned man that was standing beside Nathan laughed, "Hey, mon, can I have 'is paycheck t'en."

Simon Carnegie, second-in-command, as well as the father of Angela. He had a great sense of humor, a friendly disposition, and always had a smile on his face. He was originally from Jamaica, but met a tourist, and started a relationship with her. That tourist was his wife today with almost thirty years behind them. Simon's Jamaican accent had faded a long time ago, but he still talked like he had on the island. Out of all the adults, Hikaru liked Simon the best, tied with Nathan of course. Angela had definitely inherited his personality.

Nathan returned the laugh, "I'm actually a bit relieved he didn't want a paycheck. I'm saving up as much as possible for the expansion."

"You're expanding?" Hikaru asked.

"Yep. I'm hoping for a restaurant. I have so many people coming in everyday that I have to turn some away. I can't have that."

"Tara never mentioned anything."

"That's because she didn't know. I decided just recently and I haven't told anyone but the staff."

Something buzzed in Hikaru's pocket and he slipped out his phone.

_Red Hue: Message from Ripley Barrett._

A warm feeling spread through him when he read those words. Nathan cocked an eyebrow, "What's up?"

"I just got a message from a friend of mine."

Hikaru didn't notice the smile that Nathan sent in his direction. The blonde man remembered something his eldest daughter said to him the night before. Something about how happy Hikaru looked whenever he got a message from a woman off of Red Hue named Ripley Barrett. Tara had said that she loved seeing that smile on Hikaru's face. Nathan knew of the young man's situation with Haruhi and how his heart had broken in two.

"You can go upstairs and talk to her if you want. Come down around eleven and tell me whether or not you want the job."

Hikaru did just that. He went upstairs, plopped himself down on the couch, and allowed himself to relax.

**...\~/...**

_Dear Hikaru, _

_Are you okay? Oh my gosh, I can't believe that happened! How's your face? Does it still hurt? Good for Tara! We all rooted for her when I read aloud that she punched him in the face. Did she knock him out? I hope she knocked him out. I love it when bastards get punched in the face. And dude, are you going to move to another apartment because if Psybro (that's what I'm going to call him) is staying with that girl, then wouldn't he keep harassing you since you insulted his sister? Or learn karate or tai kwon do or something so you can whoop his ass the next time he lays a hand on you. Whip out nunchuks and smack him in the face...like Mikey from Mutant Ninja Turtles. My brother suggested shooting him and getting it over with, but I said that you didn't possess two acres of land to bury the body, so that idea was shot down. Plus, you probably don't own a gun, am I right?_

_...reading this, I realized I ramble, even in my writing. _

_From, _

_Rip B. _

_P.S. My friend fainted when I told her you and your brother went all the way. _

**...\~/...**

_Dear Rip, _

_Yeah, I'm okay now, and my face is feeling fine. I'm staying with Tara's dad for right now so things can settle down. I'm not sure about the whole moving away thing yet. Maybe him living with her isn't permanent. By the way, I love the name Psybro for him. Better than the Brute or Fucktard (Tara's name for him). What are the Mutant Ninja Turtles? Sounds kind of stupid... I like how your response to your brother didn't include me being possibly arrested, but your answer was about burying the body. And no, I don't own a gun. _

_I like your rambling. _

_Five questions thing again:_

_1. What are your roommates' names?_

_2. What are you doing for Christmas?_

_3. What do you want for Christmas?_

_4. Which shoe do you put on first?_

_5. What are you scared of?_

_From, _

_Hikaru H. _

_P.S. I laughed for a very long time when I read that. How long was she out?_

**...\~/...**

_Dear Hikaru, _

_My roommates' names are MJ, Dawn, Renee, and Erika. Dawn's the twincest lover. And she loves how you've crossdressed. For Christmas, I think we're going to have a big get-together with our families, and then I'm going to my aunt's. I want joy and peace in the world... Ha, whatever, I want Halo 4. Master Chief over A Peaceful World. I really need to get my priorities straight. Um, I put on my left shoe first. And I have some rather childish fears: bugs and the dark. Renee tortures me by turning off all the lights every night. Scary..._

_1. What do you miss most about being a kid?_

_2, 3, 4, & 5. Answer your questions._

_By the way, I'm glad you're okay. It made me very happy reading that!_

_From,_

_Rip B._

_P.S. She was out for a good five minutes, muttering things about 'twins' and 'sexy'. I think she was imagining it. _

**...\~/...**

He had butterflies in his stomach when he read that she was happy he was alright. He even felt his face grow a little warm. Did she already care about him or was she just being nice? He wanted her to care about him. He wished he could've seen her reaction when she read about him getting beat up. He pictured her gasping and covering her mouth with her hand, fearful for him. He liked the feeling of having someone scared for him.

**...\~/...**

_Dear Rip, _

_I miss sleeping in the same bed as my brother and I miss my butler singing 'Irish Lullaby' to us every night. I'm probably going to watch the Christmas Day Parade and then do nothing. What I want? I want Kaoru to come visit me. I miss him a lot. I wish he'd just come live with me. And I guess I'm scared about losing my friends and family. Other than that, I feel like fear gets in the way of adventure. _

_1. What did you do growing up that got you in trouble?_

_2. If you wrote an autobiography, what would the title be?_

_3. Are you a touchy-feely person?_

_4. Have you ever had a crush on a cartoon/video game character?_

_5. Have you ever walked out on a movie at a theater?_

_From,_

_Hikaru H._

_P.S. That is too funny. _

**...\~/...**

_Dear Hikaru, _

_Honestly, I never really did anything bad. There was the razor strap hanging on the wall, a warning for all four of us to behave. I guess I got in trouble for fighting with Mark (Joey and Quin were the ones that fought with each other) and I mouthed off a couple times. Other than that, nothing. The title of my autobiography: 'The Many Minds of Me and How To Deal With Them'. No, I'm not a touchy-feely person; I don't hug my friends that often. Weirdly enough, I hug my friends, but not my best friends. I know my friends don't know I don't like hugs and I don't want to be rude by rejecting their hugs, but my best friends know me well enough that I don't like hugs. And I have had crushes on make-believe characters, lots of them. No one in real life interested me. Yes, I have walked out on a movie- Watchmen. _

_1. Are you a window or aisle person?_

_2. Pet peeves?_

_3. Optimistic or pessimistic?_

_4. What's the biggest mistake you've made?_

_5. Have you ever written a love letter?_

_I 'awwwed' at all your answers for my questions. We all think it's adorable how you miss your brother so much._

_And don't spend Christmas alone! If you do, we'll all kidnap you and bring you over here to celebrate!_

_From, _

_Ripley B._

_P.S. Dawn wants to know if you were seme or uke. I can't believe we're having this conversation..._

**...\~/...**

_Dear Rip, _

_Aisle person, especially when someone I like is sitting in the aisle next to me. My biggest pet peeve is when people do romantic things in front of me. That's when I feel most lonely. Pessimistic. I've never written a love letter, but I want to. Mind if I send one to you? _

_I have to go now. I finally have a job! A waiter at Tara's dad's cafe. I have to dig up my old Host skills and put them to use again, but this time there won't be any brotherly love. _

_I'll try and message you later._

_From, _

_Hikaru_

_P.S. Seme._

**...\~/...**

Steps to being a good Host:

1. As you set down glasses, make sure you cushion the bottom with your pinky so that it doesn't clink.

"One ice tea for you with lemon, two glasses of freshly squeezed orange juice, and a tall glass of chocolate milk for the beautiful, young lady beside her equally beautiful mother." He set down each glass as carefully as he could. Hikaru remembered another pet peeve he had and that was when waiters and waitresses plopped glasses down in front of him, resulting in a rather loud thud. He remembered the beginning days of the Host Club when Tamaki would drill meaningless ways in he and Kaoru, such as the pinky-cushioning thing. Now, he couldn't bear to watch someone allow their glasses to be set down too hard. From his pouch pocket, he pulled out a single rose, and bent slightly down so that he was closer to the lanky, chicken-legged nine-year old. He handed her the rose, sending her his best smile.

2. Have roses handy and tell them that their beauty is far greater than any flower you've seen.

"For you," he said, sending her his signature smile.

He watched as each female's faces turned a deeper hue and the girl accepted the rose carefully, looking like she didn't want to break it. Before Hikaru accepted the job, he had run to the nearest flower shop, and purchased several dozen roses. If he was going to be acting like a Host again, he was going to present his young customers with flowers, just like they used to do. Tomorrow, he was going to present pansies to his customers, telling them how he hoped they would never forget him, just like he would never forget them and their beauty.

"My dear," Hikaru said, tilting his head to the side a bit. "Your beauty is far greater than any rose I've ever seen." He then sent a smile towards the girl's mother. "Not a surprise though, her mother is just as beautiful." Pleasant gasps escaped each woman and the eight-year old was speechless.

Wasn't it kind of creepy that a man in his twenties just commented about how their daughter was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen?

3. A side glance is always effective.

Another one of his customers was chatting excitedly to her friends, not noticing the lone twin that slowly approached her from behind. She finally did notice when he came in from the side, eyeing her with half-closed golden orbs. "Can I get you anything? Anything you desire?"

"Oh...um...n-no thank you. I'm s-set." He was about to walk away when one of her friends said, "Can you get me some more tea, please?"

He bore his eyes into the woman's when he turned to her, grabbing her outstretched glass, making sure to brush his long fingers against hers.

"Of course. How can I say no to a beautiful maiden such as yourself?"

Every one of those old hags blushed. He still had it.

4. If one of your customers is bold, be bold right back.

Bold was the only way to describe one of his customers. She was attractive and had a sultry air to her.

"Is there anything I can get you?"

Her smile was seductive and she cupped her chin with hand, red-painted talons displayed prominently against her creamy skin.

"I would like a platter of _you _to go." She was a vixen.

He shot her a wicked smile. "Only if you like your food extremely hot."

5. Capture the hearts of your older customers.

"...my mother was always away so my brother and I were neglected as children, causing us to become extremely close. I miss my brother everyday and I wish I had some company. I feel...I feel like a part of me has been ripped away. But we both have always wanted a mother-figure in our lives."

How he got onto this topic, he didn't know, but the women in front of him all had looks of pity.

"That's so...sad..."

"We'll come visit you every day."

He gave them a warm smile, "I would love that very much. Thank you."

Suck on that, Kyle.

**...\~/...**

"Hikaru, do you know how many customers have come up to me, begging for reservations?" Nathan exclaimed.

"I don't know, but I feel like you're going to tell me."

"Twenty-eight and that's only at lunch time! Add that with Kyle's success... You guys are my secret weapon!"

"I didn't exactly like the style I was using. I felt too much like Milord."

"I don't care! You are awesome, Hikaru! Oh, do you think Kyoya would host the next time he and Tara come down?"

"He might, I don't know. He'd probably find ways to make you more money."

"Tara told me all about the Host Club and how successful you guys were." A gasp. _"What if_ I started my own Host Club?"

"Only if you could find handsome men with entirely too much time."

"Megan could hook me up with people. What types would there be? Ooo, I'm so excited!"

"I can see that...

"Just think of all the cash I would be raking in!" Nathan took Hikaru by the shoulders, turned him around, and started pushing him towards the kitchen doors. "Get back to work and go be your awesome self, Hikaru!"

**...\~/...**

"So, Fruitcup managed to attract the ladies, huh? Can't say I'm impressed. Women seem to like gay men." Salem said, throwing cards down on the table. Simon banged his fist against the table, frowning towards Salem. Nathan threw down cards as well, smirking when he beat Salem's set. Hikaru didn't have a very good hand so he just laid something down.

"Lay off of him, Salem. And why are you so persistent on him being gay? Hoping he is so you can have a partner."

"Mariah, you're just agitated 'cause he is gay, aren't you Fruitcup?"

"I'm not gay..." Hikaru growled.

The two other members of Nathan's staff had appeared, having shifts only during dinner time. There was Mariah Fairgood. She was serious, quiet, and had a distinct hatred for Salem, so she and Hikaru already had something in common. She was passionate about cooking though, reminding him much of Tara.

"Well, I think he's cuter than a speckled pup! Not as cute as my little Kyle though!"

Then, there was Kristine Henderson, the mother hen of the group, as well as the mother of Kyle. She was probably the reason why the kid had no backbone; she babied him every chance she got. She was overprotective of what Kyle did and called him every five minutes (no kidding). She even gave Megan a long list of his allergies and his likes and dislikes when the others all went out. And she was one of those parents that always had to compare her child to others. Like today, when Nathan told her that Hikaru was bringing a bunch of customers, Kristine retorted that Kyle had been doing a fine job already, and she sent a sour look in Hikaru's direction. Forget Salem being the most hated; Hikaru hated Kristine the most.

"Cute? He's thin, lanky, and has no muscle. He's a wimp." Salem responded.

"Well, I think he's handsome." Mariah said, her face emotionless. Hikaru felt accomplished getting a compliment from her. She wasn't easily impressed.

Salem snorted, "Only if you consider shrimpy handsome."

"How about you get that stick out of your ass..." Hikaru muttered, throwing his cards on the table.

"Hey, where are you going?" Nathan asked.

"Bed."

**...\~/...**

_Dear Ripley, _

_You are so lucky you don't know Salem Warsaw._

_From, _

_Hikaru_

_P.S. He's an unbelievable ass._

**...\~/...**

_Dear Hikaru,_

_I guess so, considering that's the only thing you said. What's up?_

_From,_

_Ripley_

_P.S. We all run into them once in awhile._

**...\~/...**

_Dear Ripley,_

_He kept on calling me gay and now my nickname with him is Fruitcup. Annoying..._

_From, _

_Hikaru_

_P.S. He's the King of Ass Mountain._

**...\~/...**

The door to Nathan's bedroom creaked open and Nathan popped his head in. Hikaru was on his back, arms stretched above him, staring at his phone screen. He ignored Nathan when the man came towards the bed, hands shoved in his pockets. "Hey, do you want to go to your apartment and pick some stuff up? You're going to be staying here for awhile, right?"

Hikaru just stared at his screen. "Right..."

"Well, let's get going. It's getting late."

**...\~/...**

He wished he had just rejected Nathan's offer on going back to his apartment. When they stepped up on his floor, the two immediately knew there was trouble. Hikaru stopped in front of his door, which had been kicked in, the doorframe in splinters, the door itself cracked. The doorknob had been busted out and it was laying on the other side of the floor. Hikaru nudged the door open with his shoe and frowned at what he saw inside.

His whole apartment had been trashed.

The couch looked like it had been sawed in half, the cushions on the floor with large rips in them. His lamps knocked over with the light bulbs broken on the ground with little shards decorating the dark wood; his coffee table looked as if someone had stomped on it, breaking it in two; his TV had a hole in the screen, cracks splaying out from around it; his Xbox had been broken to bits; books had been ripped in half and thrown around the room; and pictures had been taken from their frames and burned, little ash piles spotting the ground.

Hikaru fell to the ground, Nathan at his side.

"I hate my life..." Hikaru mumbled, clutching his hair in his fists.

"We'll call the police. They'll find out who did this."

"It was Psybro."

"...what?"

"Psybro. The one that did this-" He pointed at his face. "-to me. He trashed my place."

Nathan was silent and he patted his shoulder, going further into the apartment to see what other damage had been done.

Hikaru's pocket buzzed and he took his phone out, smiling when he saw that it was another message from Ripley.

_Dear Hikaru,_

_This may be a bit too soon, but could you give me your address? We all want to send you a Christmas present._

_From, _

_Ripley_

_P.S. You don't have to if you feel uncomfortable._

He sent her it.

* * *

**So, here's chapter 6. Personally, I don't like the quality of this chapter, but I've been really distracted lately. And I threw an OC bomb in there so I apologize for all the new faces. I hope you enjoy my OCs though. And we had some more Hikaley action in there. The next chapter's going to be the Christmas chapter and there's going to be familiar faces! One of them you probably won't be expecting... **


	7. Christmas Is Here, So Enjoy It

**Step #7**

**Christmas Is Here, So Enjoy It**

**...\~/...**

The police didn't do shit.

They came in, "investigated", and told him that they would do the best they could in finding the culprit, even though Hikaru had outright told them who it was. Said they would look into it; they never did. Everything was easy to replace, but it felt different somehow, like the "home" he had created was missing. The only thing he hadn't been able to replace was his pictures that Psybro had burnt to ashes. And all the while he and Nathan were bringing new furniture into his apartment, he had seen Sarah peering through the crack in her door. She would always narrow her gaze, then slam the door shut, and it was always when he caught her gaze. Hikaru knew it was out of control, but maybe if he ignored Sarah and her brother long enough, they would leave him alone after awhile, and move on. All he could do was pray and hope that the two didn't hold grudges for very long.

"I'm glad he didn't ruin your drawings, Hikaru. These are beautiful."

"Uh, thanks." He didn't really know what to say.

Angela was with him this time. Nathan wouldn't allow Hikaru the freedom of going to his apartment alone, so Angela had volunteered to go with him. Nathan had this idea that Psybro wouldn't do anything crazy if there were witnesses. Hikaru reminded him of the café episode and Nathan had told him to shut up. Hikaru was happy to have some alone time with Angela; he wished he had it more often. She didn't even have to say anything and she put him to ease. That was the effect the Carnegie family had on people.

"Is this your girlfriend?" Angela asked.

Hikaru looked over from his bookshelves and set his eyes on the picture Angela had displayed.

"No. She's...an old crush..."

It was Haruhi and he had drawn her beautifully. Hikaru had stolen Tamaki's fantasy about Haruhi walking along the beach in a white sundress with the setting sun behind her, giving her a warm glow. He had taken that fantasy and brought it to life. In the picture, the wind was blowing her dress back, and she had her hand running through her short hair. The colors he used to fill her in were dark, but the sun behind her was a bright orange, making it pop in the picture, and it complimented her all the same. It was his favorite picture of her and he was especially glad Psybro hadn't burned that picture.

"She's gorgeous. She's a fool for giving up a guy like you."

"Heh, yeah, I guess. Though, she has a pretty good husband."

"Do you know the husband?"

"Yeah. He's...I owe a lot to him, me and my brother both do."

Hikaru dropped the books he had in his arms and walked over to his filing cabinet, fingering through the files. He opened the 'friends' file and searched through the thick stack of pictures he had of all of them. "Here's her husband. He was the president of our club in high school. He's an idiot, but...he had a good heart." Tamaki was posing with one hand rested on his hip with his other stretched out in front of him, like he was beckoning someone over. In this particular picture, Tamaki looked like he did in middle school. When he had been drawing this picture, he had been remembering the time when Tamaki tried his hardest to get him and Kaoru into his club.

"He's handsome, but I find you more attractive." Angela said, her lips stretching into a smile.

"Thanks..."

"No, really. I'm still baffled you're single. You must have a girlfriend somewhere."

His pocket buzzed. He hoped it was Ripley. He wanted to talk to her right now. It had been almost a week when she asked him for his address and nothing had come for him yet.

"Erm...I'm talking to a woman online."

"Oh really? What's she like? Have you seen a picture of her yet?"

"Her name's Ripley. She's really nice, but different. I like talking to her." His phone buzzed again.

"Picture?"

"Nah, we promised each other we'd keep our appearances a surprise until we meet."

"I bet she's beautiful."

"She seems to be." His pocket buzzed again.

"Hold on. Someone's calling me."

**...\~/...**

"_Geez, you finally answered. I was beginning to think you were going to ignore me._"

"Hey, Kaoru, what's up?"

A gasp on the other line. "_Hikaru, you actually...I can't believe it. You actually sounded happy to hear from me!_"

"Can it before I hang up. What are you doing for today, it being Christmas and all?"

"_Well, me, Hunny, and Mori are kind of having a guys day out. Plus, Syd, but she's more of a guy than a girl._"

Someone yelled on the other line and Hikaru assumed it was Syd, defending herself from Kaoru's comment. It was true; she possessed more masculine qualities than feminine. "And what about your girlfriend? I would've expected you to spend the whole day with her."

"_Um...well...we kind of got into an argument..._"

He never did like Kaoru's girlfriend. He was pretty sure he mentioned that several times. "Really...?"

"_Hey! Don't sound like you were expecting it-_"

"Well, I kind of was."

"_Hikaru, you need to give her a chance! She's...not as bad as you think..._"

"Kaoru, is that doubt I hear in your voice?"

"_...no..._"

"Even though we're thousands of miles apart, I can tell you're lying to me."

A chuckle filled his ear. "_Thousands of miles? Look outside your kitchen window._"

Hikaru pulled the phone away from his ear, giving it an odd look. Then he said into it, "Look outside my window?"

"_Just do it._"

Hikaru walked over to his window, pushing it up, and leaned out of it. Down on the sidewalk were five familiar faces. They were all looking up at him, smiling. Hikaru couldn't help but grin when his eyes met Kaoru's. His little brother was here..._his precious little brother was here. _Finally... Hunny was perched on Mori's shoulders, waving his hands above his head cutely, a large smile stretched across his face. Mori had that signature little smile he always gave his friends. Syd, who looked half asleep, was more concerned about her earphones on her head than him. And then, there was the fifth face.

"M-Milord...?"

**...\~/...**

It wasn't two seconds after he opened his door when a heavy weight was thrown upon him and that heavy weight picked him up and literally spinned him around. Tamaki was laughing as he spun his long-time friend around in circles, clutching him close to his body. "Long time no see, mon ami! I've missed you so much!" Hikaru was beginning to feel sick. Tamaki plopped him down on his feet finally, holding onto Hikaru's shoulders firmly. "You look thin! Have you lost weight? ARE THOSE BAGS UNDER YOUR EYES?" A horrified gasp came from the over-excited blonde. "MOTHER-!" Tamaki spun around, expecting a certain black-haired, spectacled individual scribbling in his notebook, but instead, he got the deadpanned gazes of Kaoru, Hunny, Mori, and Syd.

Hunny perked up, "Tama-chan, why are you crying?"

Tamaki's body slouched, his right index finger pressed against his bottom lip pathetically. "I miss Kyoya..." he whimpered.

Hikaru snorted, "He's probably enjoying his headache-free life. I know I was...until you showed up, Milord."

"What's with the mean words, Hikaru? Didn't you miss me?" Tamaki asked in a small voice.

"Barely. I've been-" He stopped when Tamaki set his hands on Hikaru's shoulders.

"Hikaru," The blonde's violet eyes were shaded by his hair. "You don't have to hold it in anymore. I know the truth."

The dark-haired twin looked at the others, every one of them shrugging their shoulders. Hikaru looked back down at Tamaki with wide eyes. Had this doofus figured out that he was still in love with Haruhi? Had he figured out that Hikaru still felt guilty about his words at the wedding reception? Had he figured out that he was envious of the fool? No, he hadn't talked to Tamaki in forever; well, ever since the reception. The others couldn't have told him anything either; Hikaru kept his mouth shut about his problems ninety-nine percent of the time. There was _no way _this _idiot _had figured him out. He was too dense.

"Milord...?"

"I know, Hikaru, I know you've missed me terribly over the past few years." Tamaki looked up now, staring Hikaru straight in the eyes. "Have no worries though; Daddy's here."

"You're still on the family thing- GAH!" Hikaru found himself on his rear on the floor. Tamaki had pushed him back when he turned dramatically, posing now with his fingers on one hand splayed across his chest, his other arm outstretched to his side. The dumbass seemed to shimmer, even in the dim-lit room. Even through the years, Tamaki had not lost his beautiful looks. His blonde hair was still long, covering his lively violet eyes for the most part, and he still had that tall, toned body of his. He had managed to keep himself in shape while Hikaru allowed himself to waste away to nothing but skin and bones.

"Feast your eyes onto me and me only, my dear boy! For I will feed you the fruits of my love and plump your youthful body once more! What more? We will spend every waking moment with one another in hopes for some man-to-man bonding. We have a lot of catching up to do! And I want to hear..."

Hikaru's eye twitched as he watched the man walk slowly around the apartment. There was a slight throbbing in his head and he knew that Tamaki's loud, obnoxious voice was the cause of it. He could still hear the blonde blabbing about the hard-working individuals that worked diligently to give them a wonderful holiday. Man, did he ever shut up? No, no he didn't; Hikaru already knew the answer to _that _question. Hikaru couldn't help but glare at his younger brother, who caught his angry gaze, and sent a sheepish grin in the older twin's direction. What exactly was Kaoru trying to pull by bringing that fool into his life again? Didn't Kaoru know his heart couldn't take it right now?

"Aha! Who is this beautiful, young maiden standing here in this corner?" Tamaki exclaimed, bouncing over to Angela.

Hikaru stood up, sending a death glare into Tamaki's back, though it went unnoticed.

Tamaki pulled a rose out of nowhere, presenting it to Angela. "For you, mademoiselle."

"Hey boss," Kaoru started.

"Where'd you get that rose? Your ass?" Hikaru finished.

Tamaki was up in their faces in less than a second. "Hikaru, how could you say such a filthy thing? I would never- I get my roses from the most gorgeous of gardens and that rose can never beat the beauty of that woman over yonder! Hikaru, is that..." Hikaru's shoulders fell when Tamaki gasped, stepping backwards a few times. "Is that...is that the woman you've been conversing with online? Is that the woman you've been keeping a secret from me all this while?"

"No, she's-"

He didn't get the chance to talk before everybody flocked around her.

"Wow! You're super pretty!" Hunny.

"Yeah..." Mori.

"My brother did well. I approve!" Kaoru.

"You don't seem like Hikaru's type." Syd.

"You fools! She is a living, breathing flower! She is the only one that can restore Hikaru back to his normal state! Cheer her on!"

Hikaru turned his back on them when there was a knock at the door. He opened it, coming face to face with the mailman. "Um...Hi-ka-whatever your name is. Package for you." The mailman shoved a brightly wrapped box into his arms before walking away and mumbling something about 'damn foreigners with stupid names'. Hikaru closed the door with his foot whilst pulling the scarlet ribbon from its place. His company was too busy harassing Angela, who was answering all their questions, to notice Hikaru plop down on his new couch, ripping the snowmen-covered wrapping paper off. The tape that closed the lid on the box was easy to rip off and he flipped it open, peering inside.

"Oh, Ripley, you fool." he muttered with a laugh.

Inside were at least a dozen video games, movies, and books, and they were all brand new. It must've cost her a fortune, but she had mentioned that this package was composed by her _and _her roommates, so they probably helped her. The video games were all the ones she had told him about: Fallout, Red Dead Redemption, Assassin's Creed, etc., and he assumed that all the movies were her favorites. MJ and Dawn, two of her roommates, had been in charge of the books, manga, and art supplies. Hikaru laughed quietly when he picked up a thick box set labeled the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. "Still looks stupid..."

Hikaru jumped when a pair of arms wrapped around his neck and he knew who was. A chuckle escaped the person behind him, Hikaru feeling his brother's warm breath on the side of his face.

"A bit jumpy, are we?"

"Yeah, well, when you have a psychotic brute after you, you'll understand."

Another small laugh. "What's in the box?"

"Video games, movies, books, and art supplies. A care package from Ripley and her roommates."

"Aw, so you're getting comfortable with her?"

"Of course. She's an easy person to talk to."

Kaoru released his grip on Hikaru's neck so he could climb over the back of the couch, sliding next to his brother. Hikaru allowed his head to land on Kaoru's shoulder and he felt the younger twin's chin press into his hair. He was always amazed how sweet his brother smelled; sweet, just like Kaoru's personality. And he missed him terribly. There was a comfort that no one could give to him but Kaoru and now he was feeling it. Hikaru felt one of Kaoru's hands rub up and down slowly on his back, sending a pleasant feeling throughout his entire body.

"What did you and your girlfriend fight about?" Hikaru questioned.

"Something stupid. She wanted to go out with her friends and I told her that we should spend more time together. She called me controlling and that I didn't give her enough space, that I was always nagging her about things."

"And what did you say?" Probably nothing.

"Nothing. She left before I could." He knew it.

"I don't understand."

"Understand what?"

"How someone as sweet as you and cute as you and funny as you and-"

"Okay, okay, cut it out..." Kaoru laughed.

"-ended up with someone as nasty and rotten as her."

"Hikaru..." This time, there wasn't a laugh in his voice. He actually sounded hurt.

"Hey," Hikaru sat up. "Shouldn't Hunny be with Reiko right now? Ya know, with her being pregnant and all?"

"Oh...um...mood swings...and they have a scythe in their house..."

"Ah. Don't tell me the scythe's going to be a toy for the kids."

"Nah, I think that's the guillotine."

They shared a laugh over that. He loved how he could make Kaoru laugh when he knew he hurt him.

"So, what are you going to give Ripley in return? Jewelry? An 'I love NYC' shirt?"

Hikaru grinned, "Well, I know she has a fascination with New York City, and she wants pictures."

"Just pictures? C'mon, Hika, you can do better than that."

"How about I send a care package right back?" With that, Hikaru stood up, and pushed through the others that surrounded Angela, who had a nervous little smile on her face. "Hey, Angela, can you do me a favor?"

**...\~/...**

Click. Flash. Turn to another angle. Click. Flash. Beauty caught forever.

"Takashi, hot chocolate, hot chocolate!" Hunny exclaimed happily, pointing towards a food stand that currently had a family purchasing from it. Mori nodded once and walked over, Hunny grinning like a small child in a candy store. It was hard to believe that that twenty-somethin' year old, who was going to be a father, still looked like a elementary school student. It had been two years since he left Japan for New York, yet everyone still looked the same. Though, he liked how Kaoru cut his hair short again; he never did like it long.

They were in Central Park at the moment. Despite the cold and the frost, people still walked through it, either to get to their jobs or just to pass time. And it was still beautiful. He knew Ripley would love it. For the past few hours, Hikaru and his guests toured through the city, snapping photos of his long list of landmarks and buying every NYC-related souvenir he could find. She had mentioned something about collecting bobbleheads and snow globes (it was on her bucket list) in one of her messages, so he snatched whatever one he could find for her. T-shirts, magnets, Christmas ornaments, coffee mugs, pens; he even found a teddy bear for her and Hunny had found this really cool piggy bank and said to give it to her.

"I think it's really sweet you're doing this for her, but do you think you're getting her too much stuff?" Angela asked.

"Well, I figured she isn't rich and video games are expensive, she gave me at least a dozen of them, so I thought I'd give her a lot in return. I know she'll love it, though. She told me she always wanted to come here."

"With the amount of stuff you're getting her, you'll need three boxes." she said with a small laugh.

"Then three boxes it will be!" Angela watched as Hikaru gave a soft smile, his eyes focusing on the bags in his hands. "For some reason, I just...want to give her whatever she wants..."

Angela frowned at this, "Hikaru, I'm glad you-"

Hikaru wasn't able to hear her when Tamaki slammed his body up against Hikaru's, pulling him in an embrace. Hikaru felt very uncomfortable when Tamaki rubbed his cheek against his. "Awww, Hikaru, _you're so cute__!_" Tamaki exclaimed. "I missed your adorable little smile! Oh, daddy loves you so much!"

"M-Milord-!"

"Hey, don't hog my brother!" Kaoru teased, wrapping his arms around Hikaru, too.

"I want to hug Hika-chan too!" Hunny exclaimed, jumping off Mori's shoulders and onto Hikaru's back, wrapping his arms around Hikaru's neck.

"Yeah..." Mori said, joining the group hug.

Angela watched in silence. She was glad that Hikaru had such great friends. She lifted the camera up to her face.

Click. Flash. This beautiful moment would be captured forever.

**...\~/...**

Times Square was the last landmark on his list. They had been to dozens- Louis Armstrong's House, Dakota Apartments, Grand Central Terminal, and the ever requested Rockefeller Center with its enormous Christmas tree, as well as many more. Chinatown and Little Italy had been bustling with energy when they visited and Hikaru made sure to pick up a package of fortune cookies for Ripley to share amongst her family and friends. His guests marveled at everything they saw and Tamaki was getting just as many souvenirs as he was, saying that he was going to share them with the domestic help back in Japan. And Angela was performing her side of the deal wonderfully. She was truly a master with the camera, her pictures coming out wonderfully. While the others bought lunch from a nearby food stand, Hikaru looked over at Angela.

"Hey, you were going to tell me something back at Central Park. What was it?"

He watched as Angela's face turned serious. "I want you to be careful."

"About Ripley?"

"Yeah. I mean, she seems nice from what you've told me, but you can never be trusting of people online."

Hikaru narrowed his eyes, "I don't think Ripley would scam me."

"How do you know, though? You've only been talking to this woman for...what? A week? I just want you to be cautious."

"She has three jobs. She doesn't need and hasn't asked me for money."

"Just because she hasn't _yet _doesn't mean she won't _later. _I've never trusted people online. You don't know who they truly are."

He watched as Angela lifted the camera to her face, taking pictures of their surroundings. What she said was something he hadn't thought about before. He had to admit that he was too excited about meeting someone that had the potential of being his soul mate that he hadn't thought over the dangers of online dating. He had heard stories before, how women and men alike got to know some poor, unfortunate soul who was too easily trusting, and sucked the money right out of them, like a flea on a dog's back. So far, Ripley seemed to pose no threat; he enjoyed talking to her, and he wasn't clueless to the butterflies he got in his stomach every time she sent him a message. The woman seemed so...so...kind, too kind to scam him. But what if she was lying to him? What if she was burrowed deep in the slums of whatever state she was in, ready to ask for money, then leave him when she got what she wanted? Hikaru grabbed his head, clutching his hair in his fists. What if...what if...she didn't even care about him? That kind-hearted soul who made him laugh, who gave him butterflies and warm feelings, could possibly be a wicked witch. No...he couldn't think about that... He would lose sleep if he dwelled on it too much and he finally started to sleep without pleasant dreams haunting him, torturing him.

Ripley Barrett...are you for real...?

Hikaru lifted the bags of souvenirs, staring at them. What if he sent all this stuff to her and she just threw it away? Or worse: sold it for money? What if she laughed when she received these gifts? Did she actually want to visit New York City? Did she really live in the middle of the country in an apartment with four other girls, whom were all high school friends? So many questions swirled around in his mind now. He was dwelling on it. He couldn't dwell; he couldn't let these negative thoughts plague his mind. He was finally starting to relax.

He didn't want to lose someone else... That was his fear, right?

_Angela, do you know what you started?_

"Hika-chan! Look! Isn't that Spiderman?" Hunny shouted, pointing towards a figure.

Hikaru turned and sure enough, a man dressed in a Spiderman costume was running towards them.

_Seen Spiderman lately?_

_Nope, haven't seen Spiderman. Sorry. I'll try and get a picture of him, too, if I can._

"Hurry, Angela, get a picture of that idiot hero!"

"Roger, roger!"

Click. Flash. She just got a picture of a overweight man with a shirt too small, allowing his hairy gut to hang out.

Not the most beautiful sight in the world...

"I'm the FLASH!" someone yelled from behind them.

"Quick! After that Flash! Damn, is he for real? That sucker's fast!"

"BUNNY KICK!"

"Hunny-senpai, you just broke a federal offense!"

**...\~/...**

"Hikaru, we managed to fit everything into one box! Do you have packing tape?" Kaoru called from the living room. Hikaru pushed the kitchen door open, poking his head in. The box was a little bigger than he wanted it to be, but in order to send everything to Ripley, he had to do what he had to do. Hikaru pointed towards his art station. On top of his desk was a thing of tape and Kaoru quickly performed the duty of sealing the package. Kaoru had to brag; he had gotten good at packing boxes since he and his girlfriend had moved three different times. Nothing seemed to satisfy her... Thinking about that woman caused the younger twin to sigh. He'd have to call her to ask if she wanted a souvenir of some sort. He knew he'd need a pencil and paper ready so he could write down a whole list of things she'd want.

"Oh shit!" Kaoru heard from the kitchen. Next thing he knew, Hikaru rushed into the living room, looking panicked.

"What's wrong?" Kaoru asked.

"I forgot the love letter! I forgot to write her a love letter!"

The younger brother stood up, holding up his hands in order to calm his brother down. "Chill out, Hikaru. We'll write one tonight."

"Ah, a love letter! Such an old-fashioned way of expressing one's affections!" Tamaki said, strutting over, taking Hikaru's hands in his. "If you're nervous writing one to your beloved, you may practice by writing one to me. Do it, Hikaru, write down everything you've ever wanted to tell me."

"Uh...no...that's kind of weird." _Trust me. You'd want to throw yourself of the Empire State Building if I told you everything I thought about you. _

"But...I want you to write one to me..." Tamaki pouted.

"Sorry, Milord, but I don't write love letters to men." Why was it that Salem's voice was bouncing around in his head?

"Hey, everybody, it's snowing outside!" Hunny exclaimed from the window.

Everyone rushed to the windows, admiring the snowflakes that decorated the air. It was a White Christmas.

_Is it snowing where you live, Ripley? I want you to have a White Christmas._

**...\~/...**

Alexander's Café was definitely decorated for the holidays. Red and green streamers criss-crossed each other near the ceiling; a Christmas tree stood tall in the right corner nearest to the door, wrapped in stringed popcorn, red lace, and littered with sparkling ornaments; the tables had been covered with white tablecloths, the middle adorning a pop-up snowman; and the stairs leading to the apartment above had their railing decorated with twisted red streamers. It smelled of cinnamon and sugar cookies, giving the whole café a warm, inviting feeling. The place was crowded with families at each table, chattering loudly amongst themselves. And Hikaru loved this place around Christmas time. Absolutely loved it.

"Oh, thank God you're here, Hikaru." Nathan said, after rushing over to them. He was wearing a Santa's hat. "Kyle's not enough. We have people by the dozen coming in. I guess all your customers from before talked about this place and now more people want a taste of your hosting."

For some reason, a feeling of pride rushed over him. People wanted _him._

"Give me a moment and I'll put the uniform on."

"Can we help in any way, sir?" Hunny asked from Mori's shoulders.

Nathan blinked, almost like he didn't believe what he saw. The legendary Host Club was here...in _his_ café. Tara had said that their hosting skills were something to marvel at, but he never believed that they would all be in his café, much less wanting to help him. Nathan was short on waiters and Kyle was stressing himself out trying to please everybody at once. Customers around Christmas time always wanted a quick meal, then to get out and get home.

"Uh...sure...I think we have some extra uniforms."

Behind Nathan, a voice sounded that everyone found familiar said, "Mademoiselle, is there anything I can get you?"

To which a voice answered, "Oh, yes please, more hot chocolate."

"Anything you wish, madam."

Hunny tilted his head to the side, "Is that-"

"KYOYA!" Tamaki exclaimed, gaining the attention of many, _many _customers. The blonde threw himself onto the black-haired man, arms wrapped around his neck and legs wrapped around his waist. Tamaki rubbed his cheek against Kyoya's, much like he did to Hikaru. Kyoya, however, was neither amused nor annoyed. In fact, his face was emotionless, as always. Tamaki pulled his face away from his friend's. "Mon ami, did you miss me? Because I missed you! You sourpuss, you haven't called me, or texted me, or...or...or written me any letters! I sent you bunches! Did you get them? I sent one by pigeon! I bet you got that one!" The gleaming grin on the blonde's face slowly faded, followed by a sad frown. "I've...missed you...so much..."

"Please, don't start crying. I don't have a mop handy." Kyoya said finally, leaning his head away. "And don't _drool _on me."

"I'm _not _drooling. Gentlemen _don't _drool."

"Then what does that make you, Tamaki? You're slobbering all over me."

Tamaki crawled off of Kyoya, "Did you hear? Hikaru's got himself a lady friend!"

"Yes, I know. I was there when that site matched them up."

"Isn't it adorable? Kyoya, where's Tara? I have to tell her the good news!"

"She's in the back, but _don't _go back there. She'll hit you upside the head with a frying pan for disrupting her."

"Ah, well, being knocked unconscious was _not _on my agenda today. Where are the uniforms?"

"Upstairs. Hikaru will show you where they're at."

Kyoya watched as the blonde walked away, hurriedly making his way up the stairs.

He couldn't believe it, but he actually missed the damn fool.

**...\~/...**

There was a crash, a plate smashing into little bits and pieces. Kaoru winced, bringing his hand close to his lips.

"Kaoru!" Hikaru called out, rushing over to the scene of the accident. A group of women ceased in their conversations to see what had happened. "Kaoru, are you alright? Are you hurt?" Hikaru asked in a rushed voice.

"I-I'm fine, Hikaru. I was trying to do too much at one time. Are you mad at me?"

That's when Hikaru grasped Kaoru's shoulders gently, allowing his thumbs to brush against both sides of Kaoru's jaw.

"Of course not, dummy. I'm just glad you're alright. You don't know how worried you made me."

"H-Hikaru..."

They looked deep into each other's eyes. "Don't ever scare me like that again."

The ladies ate it up, just like the girls in high school had. It was weird watching everyone play their parts again: Tamaki being princely, but not flirtatious (he had a wife, you know), Kyoya was teaching Nathan business strategies and better ways to make money, Hunny and Mori were the dynamic duo once more with Hunny wooing the ladies due to his child-like appearance and personality and Mori playing the part as the silent protector, and there was him and Kaoru, acting out their brotherly love ten-fold, but without the seductive jabs he used to do.

But it didn't feel normal. They had one person missing.

"Hey, Kaoru," Hikaru said. They weren't entertaining anybody at the moment. "Why couldn't Haruhi come?"

He chose to ignore the sad gaze his younger brother sent in his direction. "She had clients. Christmas is full of thieves."

"I miss her, you know."

"Hikaru..." Kaoru wasn't exactly informed on the thoughts that swished around in his brother's mind. Sometimes, he felt as though he failed as a brother from not being able to crack Hikaru's thick barrier. When they did talk, he felt that Hikaru told him everything, but never told him _anything. _He knew for a fact that Hikaru still pined for Haruhi, a woman that was declared untouchable from the moment she said the words 'I love you' to Tamaki. Kaoru wasn't stupid; he wasn't inept to emotions, especially to his brother's. He could see the anger and envy in Hikaru's eyes every time he looked at the idiotic blonde.

"Why'd you bring Milord here?"

"I didn't. He sort of brought himself. Haruhi told him to go because she was going to be busy, so he came for a visit."

"I wouldn't have left her, no matter how busy she was."

"She _told _him to go."

"I don't _care._" Hikaru's voice was dark, full of venom.

"Hikaru, aren't you happy to see Milord? He's sure happy to see you."

"I would've been happier _not _seeing him."

"You need to _stop _this. You're beating yourself up over something that happened a long time ago."

Hikaru stood up abruptly, glaring down at his brother. Kaoru had never experienced such hostility from Hikaru before.

"You don't understand! You don't know the pain I'm in right now! Aren't you my brother? Don't you care about me?"

Silence.

"I love her! I always have! I...I can't believe she...she..." He looked defeated.

The clattering in the kitchens had stopped. People were watching.

"I...I love her..."

"I know you do."

"I can't...I can't let her go..."

"I know you can't."

"I...I..._I_ _hate him!_" Hikaru turned, meeting the violet eyes of the man he envied.

With that, Hikaru tore off his apron, and exited the café, walking away to wherever his feet took him.

**...\~/...**

_Ripley, _

_Call me. 917-867-5309._

_Hikaru_

_P.S. I need someone to talk to._

**...\~/...**

He was stupid for walking away without a coat. Goosebumps dotted his arms, his hands rubbing along the flesh to try and bring some warmth back in his body. He was still dressed in the café uniform - a thin, white button-up with black slacks - and it wasn't keeping the heat in at all. His breath escaped his chapped lips in little, visible wisps. To top off the situation, it was still snowing. Snowflakes dusted his dark hair, melting shortly after landing. His body was trembling; he needed to get inside, but didn't want to. Maybe he'd finally keel over and freeze to death.

Christ, what was taking her so long? He'd sent the message twenty minutes ago.

_For Christmas, I think we're going to have a big get-together with our families, and then I'm going to my aunt's._

"You, i-idiot, s-she's with f-family." His teeth were chattering now.

His phone buzzed. Unknown caller.

"H-Hello?" he asked, trying his best to get the stammer out of his voice.

"_Uh, is this Hikaru Hitachiin?_" Huh, she pronounced his name perfectly.

"N-No, you've got t-the wrong number."

"_Oh! I'm...uh...I'm sorry!_"

"I'm j-just kidding. T-This i-is Hikaru H-Hitachiin."

"_Oh... Please, don't do that to me. I already have an irrational fear of talking to people on the phone..._"

Her voice was lower than he thought it would be. He expected a slight higher pitched one, but he was judging on the way she responded. He even imagined a bit of a valley-girl accent. Boy, was he wrong.

"_Just to make sure you're not some creeper leading me on: what are my three older brothers' names?_"

"M-Mark, Quin, a-and Joey. Clever t-trick." He stood up, heading towards the art institute building. He knew the doors were unlocked and the heat was on. A secret get-away from everyone and everything that bothered him.

"_Thanks._" There was a loud thumping noise on the other side, followed by a yell. "_Go away, Mark! God...dumbass..._"

Hikaru couldn't help but chuckle. "W-What are y-you doing r-right now?"

"_We're at that get-together I was telling you about. Are you outside or something? You sound cold._"

"I a-am cold. I'm s-stuck outside w-with n-no coat on."

"_Well, get inside! I don't want you dying from frostbite, especially when you're on the phone with me! Do you know how traumatized that would leave me?_"

"Um...a l-lot?"

"_Uh...yeah? I'd have to go back to therapy!_"

"Y-You've been t-to t-therapy?"

"_Junior year of high school. Don't worry; I'm not...wait, maybe I am crazy..._" Her voice trailed off when she said that.

"G-Great. My p-possible soul mate is a l-loon." he said with a laugh.

"_Sucks, doesn't it?_"

He finally reached the art institute, pulling the door open, shivering when a wave of heat hit him. He could hear an array of voices on the other side of the line and once again, there was a thumping and the yell of a voice, telling Ripley to get out of the bathroom.

"You're in the bathroom?" Finally, he wasn't stuttering anymore.

"_It's the only quiet place in the house right now. Can you believe it's almost eighty degrees over here?_"

So she didn't have a White Christmas. "I can believe it. What'd you call it? The Bi-Polar Weather State?"

"_Hey! You remembered! It's December! I wanted snow today and then I wanted it all to disappear by tomorrow._"

"Not a big fan of snow?"

"_Ever since I got my driver's license, no. And the sludge afterwards depresses the hell out of me._"

Hikaru pressed his back against the wall behind him, staring out the glass doors of the institute. The snow was falling heavier now, the sidewalks covered with it. It was snow that was perfect for packing snowballs and throwing them at oblivious strangers. He could hear her humming a tune he didn't recognize over the phone.

"What are you humming?"

"_Oh...uh...it's called Waste by Foster the People. Ever heard of them?_"

"Can't believe I have."

"_You are so deprived, child._"

"Have you ever had instant coffee?"

"_Yes._"

"Damn it, can't call you deprived then."

"_Ha! Face it! I'm the more experienced out of the two of us._"

"Mmm, not yet. I'll find something you haven't tried or heard of. Just you wait."

"_Have to tell you; I'm not one for patience, so find something quickly._"

He listened to how there was more thumping on the other side and Ripley yelled for them to stop. She had mentioned Mark being the one she argued with most so he assumed it was that brother. For some reason, he imagined her rearranging things on the bathroom sink, making them look neater. Hikaru's ears filled with her voice, telling Mark to go away and that she saw him all the time which did require her to spend time with him at the moment. The sole reason for this call was for him to tell her what happened, but he was enjoying this too much. He liked how they didn't have to be talking in order for them to be comfortable.

"Are you scamming me?"

"_What? Scamming you...?_"

Silence on his part.

"_Why do you think I'm scamming you? Did I say something wrong?_"

"You didn't say anything wrong. A friend of mine did. She said for me to be careful."

"_Well, she's smart. There are a lot of desperate people out there. My dad's girlfriend being one of them..._" It sounded like she didn't particularly like the woman she mentioned.

"You think she's smart for doubting you?"

"_Well...yeah. Scammers are all over the Internet. I make my own money; I don't need anybody else's._"

She seemed sincere in her answer. He'd trust her for now.

His phone beeped, telling him that there was another caller. Hikaru pulled his phone away for a moment, narrowing his gaze when he read Kaoru Hitachiin. He really didn't want to argue with anybody right now. He slid down to the floor, making himself comfortable.

"Here's another question: do you think I'm stupid for being mad at someone when they haven't done anything wrong?"

"_Mmm, what are you mad at them about?_"

Should he tell her? No, he shouldn't. It was too soon. "A girl a friend of mine liked fell for the guy I'm mad at rather than my friend. I'm really close to the guy so I feel angry right along with him."

"_...uh...well, it wasn't the guy's fault that the girl fell for him, right? Not unless he did some weird brainwashing scheme; if he did do that, then I guess it's his fault, but I'm assuming he didn't, so it isn't his fault._"

"I can tell you're not good at answering deep questions."

"_Unless it's between two of my characters in a story, then no, I'm not. This is more of MJ's department. She's the one going into psychology and all. Maybe you should ring her up and talk to her._"

"I have a feeling she would interrogate me on whether or not I'd make a good soulmate for you rather than answer my thought-provoking questions."

"_Ah, you're probably right._"

His phone started buzzing again. Oh, shit. He needed to answer this.

"I have another call. I'll be right back."

"_'kay._"

Hikaru switched over. "What do you want, Tara?"

"_You need to get your goddamned ass back over here 'cause God forbid I come find you myself._"

"I will in a little bit. Just let me cool off."

"_Cool off? You bastard, you storm off after you say you hated Tamaki. What the hell did he ever do to you?_"

"Nothing..."

"_Damn right nothing. You're just jealous. You act like a fuckin' child sometimes, you know that? Grow. Up. You can't always get what you want._"

"What if Kyoya fell for Haruhi and she fell for him and you were rejected? How would you feel?"

There was silence on the other side. He struck a chord and he _wanted _to.

"_I would...I would've... Fuck you, Hikaru._" Click. Dial tone.

He switched back to Ripley.

"Hey, Rip, I have to go. Everyone's waiting for me."

"_Okay. I have to go, too. I had to pull the door close because Mark was trying to open it and drag me out._"

He chuckled, "Alright. Kick him in the shin for me, will ya?"

"_Ha! I'll do worse than that! Oh, and Hikaru,_" He liked hearing her say his name. "_Whatever's going on, I hope you can get over it quickly, okay?_"

"...yeah...okay..."

"_Alright, well, I'll try and message you tonight. Or call, since I have your number now._"

"Alright...see ya..."

"_Yep!_" Click.

He didn't stand up to leave. He wanted nothing to do with those people right now. He especially didn't want to see Tamaki.

Instead, he just buried his face into his arms, and closed his eyes.

**...\~/...**

He'd drawn himself. The Hikaru in the picture was outside in the cold, his hand pressed firmly against a see-through barrier. On the other side was everything he wanted and needed- Haruhi, Kaoru, his friends, his family. They all seemed to not know he was there, like he had never existed. He couldn't see his face in the picture, but he could only imagine the hate, anger, and sadness that most likely reflected in his eyes. But there was something that gave him hope. On the other side of the glass barrier was a shadowy silhouette directly across from him. The identity was unknown, but a smudgy hand was pressed against his, almost like it was reaching out to him. That figure knew he was there, knew that he existed, and wanted him with them. Hikaru tilted his head to the side, staring at the picture with hardened eyes. But what if that silhouette _didn't _know he was there? What if they _didn't _know he existed? What if they felt just as lost as he did, just as invisible?

"You're a very talented artist." a voice said from behind, their words echoing through the room.

Hikaru turned to see Tamaki standing there, looking over his shoulder. He had a small smile.

"What do _you_ want?" he asked, turning back to his drawing, trying to cover it as much as he could.

"I wanted to see if you were alright. We tracked down your phone, in case you were wondering."

"_No, _I figured that out already. Now go away."

"Ah, ah, ah," Tamaki said, waggling his finger from side to side. "I have presents."

"Presents...?"

"Of course! It's Christmas, isn't it?"

Tamaki plopped himself down on the floor, opening up a large sack Hikaru hadn't noticed until now. Over the course of fifteen minutes, Hikaru had been handed one gift at a time, until they were all opened. Kyoya and Tara had given him a coffee mug with the words 'Please wait...sarcastic comment loading' branded on the side with a loading bar, as well as a new art easel he'd been needing. Kaoru, a Periodic Table of Elements tie and new headphones; Hunny, a complete water coloring set he'd said he needed for a new class he was taking in the spring and a book called 'History of American Graffiti'; Mori, a Juniper bonsai tree and a wall map; and Tamaki presented him with a rather stupid frog-shaped gumball machine, but Hikaru accepted it with a thanks anyway. He actually kind of liked it...

"And this is from Haruhi." Tamaki said, pulling a small, wrapped package from his coat pocket. Hikaru took it slowly, feeling like it was the most precious thing in the world. Haruhi still thought about him? "She found it at a flea market and thought of you. She hopes you like it and she's sorry about being busy and not being able to come over."

It was a bike chain bracelet. It was certainly a different kind of gift and it was like no other accessory he'd ever seen.

He didn't know what to say.

"Now, I believe we still have a love letter to write to Miss Ripley Barrett?"

**...\~/...**

He was smacked across the head with a rolled up newspaper.

"What are you doing, man? You don't start a love letter so casually! You can't greet her with a 'what's up'! It has to be along the lines of 'my dearest love' or 'the love of my life', not 'what's up'! I am ashamed of you! And to think you were a Host!"

He was beginning to get a headache.

"There, that's better. Alright, we have 'my dearest love'. Now tell her what you thought of her when you set your eyes on her the first time."

"But...I don't know what she looks-"

SMACK! "Are you talking back to your senpai?" SMACK! "Write! Write like you've never written before!" SMACK!

As he wrote down whatever came into mind, he couldn't help but relive all the times in middle school when he and Kaoru tormented those girls who wrote their love letters. Was it easier for girls to write lovey-dovey notes or was it just him that couldn't compose a love letter. He was beginning to regret all those times he ripped their letters up. It wasn't as easy as he thought it would be.

SMACK!

"Alright, cut it out with the-!" SMACK! "DAMN IT, MILORD!"

SMACK, SMACK, SMACK!

Milord was getting his revenge for what Hikaru said in the café.

"Writing a love letter shouldn't be this hard for you!" Tamaki shouted at him. "Don't you love this woman?"

"Uh, Milord, I've only known her for a week."

"But...it's chapter seven. Shouldn't you have felt a little bit of love towards her?"

"Uh..._no_..."

"Oh..." SMACK!

**...\~/...**

_My Dearest Love,_

_I have not seen you in person, but judging from your voice, I can only assume you are a beautiful person, inside and out. At this point in time, I can only count the minutes I spend waiting for your messages, and I now have to live in agony waiting for you to call, so I can hear the gorgeous tones of your voice. You bring light into my dark world and you allow me to see the path ahead of me clearly. Please, never stop these wondrous things you do to me. _

_Sincerely Yours,_

_Mister Hikaru Hitachiin_

On the envelope, he wrote in his nicest handwriting: 'My First Love Letter'.

"You did well, considering it was your first love letter." Tamaki told him. "Did you mean any of it."

"No. I just wrote what you told me to write."

"Hm. Well, we need to get you home. You look like you're about to pass out."

**...\~/...**

His bed wasn't empty anymore. He snuggled up next to Kaoru, burying his nose into the crisp folds of his brother's shirt. He could hear the beats of Kaoru's heart and his steady breathing was slowly putting him to sleep. The younger twin soothingly ran his fingers through Hikaru's dark mess of hair, scratching his scalp gently. Hikaru had once told him how good it felt when people messed with his hair and that it even helped him calm down. Ever since, Kaoru used this maneuver to ease his hot-tempered brother. Kaoru had to admit that he had missed the warm body of Hikaru beside him.

"Hikaru, you don't hate Milord, do you?"

"...no, I don't. I love him just as much as the next person."

"That's good. He was really worried about you when you ran out, especially since you didn't have a coat on."

"Hn, sounds like Milord alright."

He _did _love Milord. He was jealous, just like Tara said.

"Did Tara...?"

"She blew smoke for awhile, but she calmed down. She understood why you said it."

"Good. I felt bad about saying it afterward. I really did."

"I know you did. Now, close your eyes and go to sleep. I'm right here."

Hikaru closed his eyes, allowing the feel of Kaoru playing with his hair soothe him.

"Over in Killarney, many years ago. My mother sang a song to me in tones so sweet and low." Kaoru sang softly. "Just a simple, little ditty in her good old Irish way. And I'd give the world just to hear that song of her today."

After a few moments of silence, they both said, "That's an Irish lullaby."

* * *

**So, here's chapter 7. There's some things I want to point out. This chapter takes place a week after chapter 6 so if there's any information about Ripley that doesn't seem familiar, it's probably from conversations she and Hikaru were having during that period of time. I also want to know if I got Tamaki's personality down. He's a very dramatic, emotional character, and I want to know if I did him justice. Plus, was Hikaru's outburst out of character? For some reason, I feel like it was... Also, Hikaru's phone number should seem familiar, and the whole chapter 7 quote from Tamaki was a jab at all the episode where the characters seem to have knowledge that they're in a manga/anime. One more thing: *gets into fetal position and begins to pound her fist into the ground* I'm so sorry for the crappy sixth chapter! I feel like I failed you all as a writer! I hope this chapter made up for it!**

**Author's Note- Fin**


	8. If You're Scared Of Snakes

**Step #8:**

**If You're Scared Of Snakes, Don't Come To Hikaru's**

**...\~/...**

**January 17th, 3:17 A.M.:**

"Please, somebody! Help me! I-I can't-!"

Hikaru bolted upright when a scream echoed off the walls of his apartment. He ripped the sheets off him, jumped from his bed, and rushed out his bedroom door, towards the source of the scream. He could hear his TV blaring from the living room and he swore that he had shut it off before going to bed. Hikaru skidded to a stop, backing up slowly. Someone broke in, but he was too scared to see who. His golden eyes darted from right to left, looking for a weapon of some sort. C'mon, why couldn't he get a break?

"Please...I...need..."

What the hell? Did they bring a victim in his apartment so they could torture her? It was definitely a her, judging by her calls. Man, why did this have to happen to him? He was finally starting to settle down. There had been no harassment from Psybro or death glares from Sarah and Salem ceased in his mockery about his sexuality. Everything was calm and now he was going to witness a murder...IN HIS APARTMENT! Hikaru darted into the bathroom and grabbed the plunger by the toilet. Well, it was gross, but it was better than nothing.

"I-I can't...please...!"

"Hah!" Hikaru yelled, jumping into the living room, plunger at the ready. He dropped his weapon when his eyes landed on, "Syd?"

On his couch, was Syd herself. The small of her back was pressed against the arm, head lolling back lazily, one arm stretched across the back of the couch while the other hung flaccidly to her side, and her legs were sprawled across the seats. Her hair was messy, like she hadn't brushed it in awhile, and her thick, black glasses sat askew on her nose. The TV blared on its highest volume and he bent forward to turn the television off. Syd made no protest.

"Why were you screaming? What if someone heard you?"

"Uh, I was kind of hoping they would."

"What, why? Are you in pain?"

"No..."

"Was there a break-in somewhere?"

"Well, technically I broke in-"

"Yeah, I can see that. Hey, are those my Cheetos?" The bag had fallen onto the floor, the bright orange cheese puffs scattered around the floor near the couch. "Did you come in hear _just _to make a mess? Gah! I was going to send those chocolates to Ripley!"

"...they were good. I approve."

"Are you going to clean...wait, are those my..._boxers?_"

"Hikaru, I figured you for a tighty whitey kind of guy, not a Betty Boop man."

He could feel his face heat up. Now he remembered why they never got along before. She always managed to embarrass the hell out of him. Syd was the worst possible house guest anyone could ever have; she even beat cockroaches and nasty, disease-infested vermin. He heard stories upon stories about long battles between humans and unwanted pests. Ha! They'd be amateurs at battling infestations until they have Syd stay for a night. A couch potato to the max; she loved to eat him out of his house every time she visited.

"Get. Out." Hikaru hissed, pointing towards the door. He could barely make out her expression due to the dark.

"I don't want to get up."

"Get. Out. NOW!"

"Mmm, don't feel like it. Can you hand me the remote. It's by the TV. I threw it at the power button to turn it on. Worked."

He felt defeated. Once Syd made herself at home, there was no way to get rid of her.

"Why the hell were you screaming?"

"I needed someone to get the remote for me."

He was so freakin' annoyed and it was only three in the morning. "Why couldn't you get it yourself?"

"Because I'm a _bum__!_" she exclaimed. Was that happiness he heard in her voice?

Hikaru sighed angrily, picking up his plunger to throw it at her in an attempt to get her to move, but it was all in vain. He walked over to the table beside the couch and turned the lamp on. Now he saw that Syd was dressed in nothing but ratty jeans (his boxers were pulled over them for some strange reason) and a Deadmau5 T-shirt. His inner fashionista cringed at the horrific sight, making him want to drag her to a nearby clothing store and dress her in something more eye-catching. He wished she'd smile more and brush her hair more and wear socks that didn't have holes in them and...hell, there was a lot of things about Syd that he wish she'd change. But she never seemed to care, like she was trying to impress no one. Sometimes, he wished he had that attitude, the I-don't-care-what-anyone-thinks-about-me outlook on life; he felt that he worked too hard to impress people.

Syd's gaze shifted to him, "Holy shit, Hikaru! Put a shirt on! You're going to give me a heart attack!"

Hikaru checked his body, "I've been working out lately. Is it that bad?"

"Hell no! You know I have a weakness towards shirtless men, right? And...damn...you are one, fine-looking individual. C'mere, give me a hug." she said, spreading her arms apart. "Why do you think I watch Mori during kendo practice? Definitely not to watch him whip that wooden thing around..."

"Syd, I don't even want to touch you. You look disgusting."

"And you look sexy standing there, but am I complaining?"

Hikaru's face twisted when she said that, causing him to walk towards his room. He heard Syd's protests on him actually getting dressed, but he didn't care. When she had been staring at him, he felt nothing but violated. Once he got to his room, he quickly grabbed a plain, white tee, and was thinking the whole time about gathering food from the kitchen, and barricading himself in his bedroom until Syd did her rounds and left. But the idea was put to the side when his phone vibrated on his nightstand.

_Ripley._

Hikaru quickly answered it, ignoring how his heart leapt when he read her name, and said, "Hey, Rip."

Silence was all that filled his ear. "Rip? Hello? Are you there? Why are breathing so heavy? You okay?"

There was indeed heavy breathing.

"Um..._okay_... is there something you needed? Or did you just miss me?" he teased. "'Cause I missed _you_."

Suddenly, something that was like a scream entered his ear, then the connection went dead. "Ripley? WHAT HAPPENED?" he yelled into the phone despite the fact that there was no connection. Oh God, what the hell happened? What if someone had broken into her house and was now killing her? What if there was a tornado going through her apartment right now? Oh God, oh God, oh God... Sometimes he despised the thousands of miles between them. He always hated the thought of something bad happening to her and him either never knowing what happened or suddenly getting a call, telling him about whatever tragic end of Ripley. Hikaru pressed speed dial, pressing the phone to his ear, and wishing that whoever would pick up rather than letting him fret with every buzz.

Finally, he heard a sleepy "_Hello?_" It was Ripley.

"What happened?" he yelled into the phone. "I was just talking to you and suddenly you screamed and the line went dead! What? What's going on? Is there a serial killer in your house? Is there a tornado? ARE YOU DEAD?"

"_Shhh...you're so loud..._" She sounded annoyed. That was the last thing that he wanted to happen- to annoy her.

"Did you...did you just get up?"

"_Yes...I was fast asleep when...a phone was thrown at my head..._"

"W-What...?"

"_Did you say someone screamed?_"

"Yeah...I thought you did..."

"_Mmm, no. That was probably Dawn making an attempt at talking to you. She does this...screaming thing when she's...actually, she screams all the time._" A tired yawn came through the phone. "_I have to get back to sleep. Are you okay now?_" He knew she was going to be busy, she had said so in their last conversation together. From what she had told him, there had been a huge ice storm that knocked trees over, getting in people's and cars' way. Her family had gotten a lot of calls and they hadn't been able to finish. And he knew she needed to get some sleep, but he wanted to be selfish and not let her go. He wanted to talk to her and listen to her voice. "_Hika...?_"

"Yeah, you get some sleep, my little night owl." He'd gotten fond of calling her that.

"_Sounds like a plan. Night, Hika._"

"Night..." Click.

He didn't want her to go...

"So, who was that?" a voice asked from behind him.

Hikaru jumped, spinning around with his phone clutched in his hands. Syd was leaning against the doorframe of his room, legs and arms crossed. She was looking at him from over her glasses, an eyebrow arched. Hikaru couldn't ignore the fact that she looked absolutely ridiculous with his boxers pulled over her jeans. He sighed, setting his phone back on his nightstand. "That was a friend of mine."

"That Ripley girl?"

"Yeah, that Ripley girl."

"Is she hot?"

"Uh..." For some reason, it made him uncomfortable having Syd ask questions about Ripley like that. "I wouldn't know..."

"You don't know? What if she's actually a fat, bearded lady or one of those women that have a two-inch waist?"

"Um..." He certainly didn't want either.

"What if she's actually a slob or has a sick fetish or something?"

"Like you?"

"Yeah, like me. You want someone like me?" Hell no!

Hikaru pushed past the blonde, "We promised each other we'd keep our looks to ourselves until we meet." It was now 3:57; he wasn't going to get anymore sleep with Syd around. Syd trailed behind him, following him into the kitchen. "What the hell? SYD!" His kitchen...was a disaster area. It looked like a tornado went through it...hurricane was a more fitting title for what happened. His cupboards were all open, random items had been taken out from the shelves and left on his counters. It looked like everything from his fridge had been thrown out and onto the island tale, which he couldn't even see the surface of at the moment. Things, like an open jar of peanut butter and a leaking bottle of barbeque sauce, were scattered on the floor. A box of crackers had been spilled on the floor as well, all looking like somebody had stepped on them. And what the hell happened with the blender? The kitchen window had a reddish-brown substance against it, the blender nearby, having the same substance coating the inside of the glass. Hikaru sniffed the air tentatively. What in the world was that smell?

Something dripped onto his nose, Hikaru bringing his fingers up to wipe it off. When he pulled his fingers away, his fingertips were covered in yellow. _What in the... _SPLAT!

"So that's where the bologna went." came Syd's casual voice.

Hikaru looked up, regretting it immediately. His ceiling was polka-dotted with bologna and mustard.

"What's...can I...just...what's in the blender...?"

"A meatloaf milkshake! Ever had one?"

"_No._" he growled. "Have you?"

"Nope! Sounds disgusting. I thought it was just funny watching it explode!"

Never mind about having some sort of respect for her. He hated her now. She was now #1 on his 'Most Annoying...' list, right above Renge Houshakuji and Kyle Henderson. Hikaru felt the utmost urge to punch something and the closest thing was Syd herself. He heard her turn and try to leave, but his arm stretched out, hand grabbing her shoulder. What was she doing here anyway. The last he had heard about her, she had left Japan after the animal exchange, and had gone back to her home in Chicago, Illinois, where she resumed her apprenticeship under the world-famous veterinarian, Scarlett Hawkins. He had always wondered how someone as lazy and unmotivated as Syd took on such a high-maintenance and grueling job as a vet. She probably slept with the sloths...heck, she was probably a sloth in a past life.

"Where do you think you're going?" he asked through gritted teeth.

"Out to the living room. Where are you going?"

"Aren't you going to clean this up?" He felt his eye twitch.

"Well, I wasn't planning on it, and I'm still not."

"Clean this up now, Syd!"

Syd's face went grim at the thought of cleaning.

"Uh...um...ow, my wrist! I can't work! It hurts too much!"

"SYD!"

**...\~/...**

Hikaru sighed as he swept up the mess on the floor. Somehow, he ended up being the one cleaning, while Syd sat on her ass in one of the stools, sock-covered feet perched on the island. She had her hand resting in a bag of corn chips, occasionally taking it out, stuffing her face with a handful of chips. Hikaru had to wonder how he was going to clean up the ceiling and the 'meatloaf milkshake', as Syd called it, had dried to a cement-like substance on his window. He'd need a chisel to scrape off that stuff. So far, he had successfully cleaned off the counters and returned everything that had crowded them to their rightful places. He had discovered that his fridge had been completely emptied and ketchup had been "accidently" smeared on every visible surface inch.

"Syd, don't ever go to sleep again." he growled as he swept everything into the dustpan.

"Gonna kill me in my sleep? Yeah, Kyoya said the same thing."

"Kyoya?" Hikaru questioned, throwing the contents in the dustpan away. "Did you go visit them or something?"

"Yeah. I thought my visit was overdue. Plus, my 'Annoying Kyoya' meter was rather low, so I had to replenish it."

"I bet he enjoyed that..." He didn't want to imagine the demonic look his senpai would get when he was angry. Too scary...

"Oh, he did, especially when he tried to strangle me."

The ash-haired man remembered clearly the first day Syd and Kyoya met. It hadn't been a pretty sight, but the fact that Syd and Tara had a past together, he kept being a gentleman towards her. Over the course of time, she began to get on his last nerves, something that only Tamaki had ever successfully been able to do. See, Syd wasn't as dumb as everyone thought she was. She was actually quite intelligent, but she had been wasting away her natural smarts, just because she gave up trying. Hikaru knew that Kyoya always found it irksome when people didn't take things for granted, added with the fact that Syd was doing just that, his spectacled senpai had given himself a mission: to get Syd through school with high grades. Hikaru knew Kyoya taking a sudden interest in Syd had had something to do with Tara having been concerned about Syd's well-being. Either way, it had been surprising when Kyoya had taken the initiative to tutor Syd; to this day, Hikaru never really knew whether or not there had been any benefit to him. Hikaru stole a glance at Syd, who had long since abandoned the corn chips and was now shoving Oreos into her mouth. He wondered if she was thankful towards Kyoya for what he had done in getting her through her last year of high school.

"Do you...look up to Kyoya? I mean, are you happy he got you through your senior year?"

"Heh, no. I only went along with it because I got tired of him nagging me every five minutes."

"Did you do it for Tara?" That seemed to have struck a nerve.

"Hey, do you have any pickles? I'm craving some." The answer must've been yes since she avoided the subject.

He knew vaguely about the history Tara and Syd had together. It was the year before Tara had transferred to Ouran and the story was that she had been driving to Boston to visit her relatives when her car broke down. Well, this SUV had pulled over. The passengers had asked her if she needed any help and one of those passengers had been Syd. From what he knew of Syd's side of the story, she had run away from home that year, and she had been hitch-hiking when she was picked up by two sisters whose names escaped him at the moment. After that, Tara had abandoned the broken down car, claiming that it was her step-dad's, and traveled with the three. Hikaru didn't know what had happened on that road trip, but Tara and Syd had become somewhat friends. However, after they departed, they lost contact until the Host Club had transferred over to Boston, and the two reunited.

"No, I don't. Besides, you probably threw them out the window."

"That's stupid. I would never do that."

"But you would throw mustard-covered bologna on the ceiling."

"I thought it was necessary at the time."

"How is throwing bologna on my ceiling ever necessary?" he shouted at her.

"I don't know. It just...seemed right at the moment..."

He couldn't stand her. He couldn't freakin' stand her.

He'd rather have cockroaches and rats than Sydney McNamara.

**...\~/...**

It was now 9:03 A.M.

_Dear Ripley,_

_I just wanted to tell you to be careful. From what I read in the forecasts for your area, it's supposed to be below zero and a possible chance for another ice storm. Bundle up, instead of wearing only that stupid jacket! Have MJ mother you like you say she does and wear a damn coat! Be careful and message me when you have time._

_From, _

_Hikaru_

_P.S. And please don't send me pictures of your fingertips cut off again. Those pictures almost made me puke._

_P.P.S Just don't touch the chainsaw ever again..._

**...\~/...**

_Dear Hikaru, _

_Don't worry; I have my Transformers sweatshirt so everything is a-okay! Plus, Joey wrapped me up in seventeen layers anyways, so I'm not going to die of frostbite. We have a busy day ahead of us and we have to work quickly. The ice storm's already hit and the salt trucks can't come through since the roads are blocked. Besides, we aren't the only arboring business working today._

_And I will be careful! Geez, you're becoming such a worry-wart._

_From, _

_Ripley_

_P.S. Oh come on, that was freakin' hilarious! _

_P.P.S. But Hika, I love chainsaws._

**...\~/...**

"So you're here because of another animal transfer?"

"Yeppers. The Central Park Zoo is donating a beautiful Emerald Tree Boa to us. Six and a half feet long, Hikaru!"

"Oh, um, that's...awesome..."

"By the way, I know you won't mind, but I have to bring the snake here."

"Won't mind? That thing could eat us!"

"Geez, what a baby. What happened to having 'manly' in front of Hikaru? Manly Hikaru, manly Hikaru!"

"Shut up! I am manly! I just don't want my manliness to stop due to being eaten by a snake!"

"Pfft, snakes are adorable. Just think of how cute they look when they swallow their prey whole."

"Oh yeah, real cute. You know what I think? I think you have a screwed up, twisted mind in that skull of yours.

"My mom _did _drop me as a baby. Blame her for my unusual, yet magnetic personality."

"Magnetic is not the right word to describe your personality."

"Yes, it is! It said it in a fortune cookie once!"

"Whatever. So, this is Central Park Zoo, huh? Never been here before."

"Yep! Ooo, wait until you see the snow leopards! They're one of their new exhibits!"

**...\~/...**

"Corralus caninus! Aren't they just remarkable?" the resident herpetologist exclaimed, holding up the reptile with pride.

Syd gasped, rushing over to gently run her hands over the animal's skin. "Yes, they are!" She looked back at Hikaru, beckoning him over. "C'mere, you can pet him!"

Hikaru didn't even budge from his spot by the door. His eyes couldn't find one area where there wasn't some creepy-looking reptile lurking in cages and glass containers. He'd never been fond of the slithering, wriggling creatures in the first place, and usually avoided reptile houses. He wasn't scared of them or anything, just creepy. And now, here he was, about to go touch a six and a half foot snake that could probably swallow him whole in a matter of five minutes. Hikaru stepped towards the table where Syd and the herpetologist stood, keeping his hands in his coat pockets the whole time. Wearing this coat, he couldn't ignore the fact that he was getting a bit hot standing in this slightly humid room. Syd said that most reptiles lived in humid, rainy areas so zoos had to keep it steamy in the habitats.

"Is it poisonous?" Hikaru asked.

"Oh no, Emerald Tree Boas aren't poisonous at all." the herpetologist replied. "Go ahead, pet him. He's friendly."

Hikaru slowly started to reach for the snake. He had to admit that the creature _was _gorgeous. It's thick skin was a beautiful emerald green, hence the name, and had narrowed, freaky-looking eyes that Hikaru couldn't tell if they were open or close. When his fingertips reached the skin, he made a quick, gentle streak down the boa's back, and drew back his hand. The snake didn't even react.

"Does he have a name?" Hikaru questioned.

"Yes, he does. This one's name is Zag. He has a sister named Zig."

"Why Zag?"

"See these patterns on his skin?" the herpetologist asked, pointing at the white zig-zag patterns. "That's where they got their names."

"Did you say he had a sister? Wouldn't they be, ya know, sad due to being separated?" For some reason, he thought of Kaoru when he said that.

"Mmm, maybe, but Zag's a tough guy, aren't you, Zag?" No response from the snake.

Syd straightened, shoving her hands in her pockets. "Well, I'll be back later to pick Zag up. I'm going to give this chicken here a tour." Hikaru frowned and glowered at her when she called him that. Syd gave a half-hearted wave to the herpetologist as she left, Hikaru trailing behind her.

He was just glad to get away from the reptiles.

**...\~/...**

Hikaru and Syd stood in front of the snow leopard exhibit, arms folded in front of them on the railing before them. Hikaru watched in fascination as one of the big cats batted around a large, yellow ball with one of its huge paws. He imagined briefly of him being in the place of that ball, being played with before being munched on, but he quickly shook the images away. They were truly magnificent beasts, beautiful as well, but he knew they could be just as ugly as anything else in the world.

"Why do they put all those toys in there?" he asked.

"They're for enrichment. They help the animals practice their hunting skills, but also give them something to do when they're bored."

"And why is that meat all the way up there?"

"It's to have the leopards work for their food, plus out in the wild, snow leopards usually climb or leap from cliff to cliff in order to get their prey. Zoos try their best to provide ways for the animals to do what they were designed to do." Syd has a soft smile on her face. "I remember that particular leopard when she was a cub."

"What's her name?"

"Saphira. I named her after the color of her eyes."

"_You _named her."

"Heh, yeah, I did. Though, she probably doesn't remember me." He could hear a hint of sad undertone in her voice.

Hikaru asked, "Why did you choose to work with animals?"

Syd leaned forward a bit, "I never really had any friends growing up because I thought everyone was stupid, to which I found out their thoughts reflected mine. I always loved animals, though. Leanne, my sister, she would always read books about animals, and I became fascinated by them. After that, I'd drag everything home, from birds to stray cats. I even tried to bring a skunk home once, but...that ended badly. I felt that animals listened to me better than humans and that's when I decided that I wanted to work with them."

"I bet your mom was proud of you."

"Yeah right, all she did was tell me I stunk of fish and threw me out of the house."

"I remember the first time I met you; you smelled like fish then, too."

"Well, that's what you get for hanging out with penguins."

"What was your first pet ever?"

"Um...a butterfly named Stu."

"Stu?"

"Yeah... My sister had ordered me one of those butterfly-growing kits for my birthday and that's how I got Stu. Since then, I've had so many pets, I can't name them all. Now, all I have is my dog, Laika the Akita. My neighbors are looking after her right now."

"Do you ever wonder what might've happened if Kyoya hadn't stepped in that year?"

Syd was silent for a moment. "I definitely wouldn't be here right now."

Hikaru narrowed his gaze a bit before looking back at the snow leopards. He took out his phone and turned the camera on, focusing in on Saphira the snow leopard, pressing the 'take picture' button, listening to the shutter sound go off. Syd watched him closely as he composed the picture in a text message. She saw the name of the person he was sending it to: Ripley Barrett. Syd looked up at Hikaru's content expression and took in the soft smile he gave when he pressed 'send'. She remembered distinctly how Tara had told her that she and Kaoru were depending on the woman from Red Hue to help move Hikaru on. For some reason, after seeing the man in front of her pine for Haruhi for so long, Syd found it hard to believe that he would actually find someone.

"Come on," Syd said, standing up, slipping her cold hands back into her pockets, "I want you to meet someone."

**...\~/...**

"This is Alfred." Syd said. "He was the one I performed with at the Boston Zoo before he transferred here."

Hikaru stood by their discarded coats while watching Syd rub her hand along the sea lion's slick head. The seal seemed to remember her and was also fond of her, especially when she ran her hand over his head affectionately. Syd grinned every time the seal gave a loud, guttural call. Hikaru remembered the first time he had ever seen Syd perform at the sea show in Boston. That was when he had begun to respect her slightly. He noticed how being around animals always made the passionate, tender Syd come out. If only she'd show that side to more people rather than being a care-free slob, he was sure she'd find someone to settle down with.

"Alfred, this is Hikaru, do you remember him from Boston?" Surprisingly, the seal answered back with another loud call.

"What was that? You want to give him a kiss?" Hikaru barely had any to protest when Syd grabbed his arm and pulled him towards the animal. "Well, he's right here!" Syd looked up at him, "Just lean forward and tap your cheek, like this." The blonde leaned forward until she was close to the seal's mouth and tapped her cheek with her index finger. Alfred bobbed around for a couple moments before quickly putting his mouth to her cheek, then have a loud call when she threw him a fish from a bucket and some praise. "Now, you try."

Hikaru gave a hesitant look at Syd before he leaned forward close to Alfred, tapping his cheek slowly. Just like what happened with Syd, Alfred pressed his mouth and wet nose onto his cheek, and drew back quickly, swaying from side to side. Syd threw the animal a fish for a reward and came over to Alfred with a medium-sized ball. She snapped her fingers above the animal's head, getting the seal's attention, and she slowly balanced the ball on top of Alfred's nose.

"Are you still in love with Haruhi?"

Hikaru's eyes widened, "W-What...? Where did that come from?"

"Well, are you?"

He felt embarrassed when he answered with a quiet, "Yeah, I am."

The expression on Syd's face was a hard one to decipher. He couldn't tell if she was sad or upset. There was something more than just curiosity behind that question. For a long time, she was never the one he ran to when things got rough because she always seemed to not care. So why was she suddenly asking him this? Did Kaoru or Tara say anything? If he knew better, it was most likely Tara that said something to her during Syd's last visit with them.

"Why do you ask?"

Syd caught the ball when it fell off Alfred's nose, balancing it again. "What if this Ripley woman wants to move forward and you're still hung up on Haruhi? What are you going to do then? Break this woman's heart by saying, 'Oh, I'm sorry, I don't really love you. I'm just looking for someone to distract me from my true feelings for a woman who's married and otherwise, untouchable'?"

"Ripley isn't like that. She isn't...she's...I wouldn't..." What was he trying to say? Why did Syd have to bring up such a complex subject? Why did she have to bring up questions he didn't know the answers to? "She's...growing on me?"

"But do you have any feelings for her whatsoever?"

"I'm..." What was he supposed to say? Damn it! "We've only know each other for about a month. I'm content at the moment."

"I'm not talking about now. I'm asking about the future. What are you going to do?"

"I don't know, damn it! Stop asking all these questions!"

Alfred gave a loud call before slipping into the pool and perching himself on the other side of the room. Hikaru's fists were clenched as he glared down at Syd, who was clutching a fish in her hands. Why did her questions have to be right on the mark? He'd been wondering these things, too, but never seemed to come up with reasonable answers. All he wanted at the moment was a friend, a person that he could talk to who wouldn't bother him about his love for Haruhi. That person was Ripley. Over the course of a month, she was the one he would turn to when he needed a break from his complicated thoughts and life. She comforted him, made him laugh, made him question her sanity, but overall he loved talking to her, hearing her voice in his ear when they called each other. All he wanted to do was make her like him and he felt like he accomplished that goal, but now he wanted to make sure she stayed liking him.

"What's with your sudden interest anyway?" Hikaru asked. He was trembling; his nails were cutting into his palms.

Syd didn't answer, only narrowed her gaze as if she were trying to figure him out. He hated that look.

"Answer me, damn it!"

"I don't know!" Syd yelled back, her voice cracking a bit. "I don't...know..."

"You do know, but you're not telling me!"

"Maybe because I don't want to! I hate seeing men cry!"

"I wouldn't...I'm not going to cry if you tell me what's on your mind!"

Syd growled, grabbing her coat and pulling it on. "Let's go; I need to get Zag and then we're leaving."

"Fine. Avoid the subject. I don't care."

**...\~/...**

_Dear Hikaru,_

_So, you have a six and a half foot boa coiled up in a garbage can living in your house. Is the garbage can big enough for it?_

_From, _

_Ripley_

_P.S. Quin thinks it's really cool. He has three snakes of his own._

**...\~/...**

_Dear Ripley,_

_Yes, I am. I'm sitting on the couch, watching the thing like a hawk. I'm expecting that thing to leap out and eat me._

_From, _

_Hikaru_

_P.S. I wouldn't be able to live with that. Did he only have snakes?_

**...\~/...**

_Dear Hikaru,_

_I thought the same thing when dad let Quin bring home a boa constrictor. All that time, I was thankful that Mark let me have the top bunk, but I was always freaked out that it would climb up the bed posts and swallow me alive. Being eaten alive is NOT on my bucket list. But your friend's an expert, right? She'd know what to do if it got out._

_From,_

_Ripley_

_P.S. Quin had a total of three snakes, two tarantulas, a lizard, and a toad. Joey was always crawling into my bed when we were younger... He's terrified of spiders._

**...\~/...**

_Dear Ripley,_

_It gives me shivers thinking about being swallowed alive, just waiting for whatever ate me to finally digest me. Not exactly on my bucket list either._

_How was the business today?_

_From,_

_Hikaru_

_P.S. I sympathize with Joey..._

**...\~/...**

_Dear Hikaru, _

_I'm actually on break right now. We've cut up six trees today, one of which took down some power lines. We still have calls coming in so I feel like today I'm going to call into my third job sick so we can get stuff done at dad's business. It's so freakin' cold outside. I wish I was curled up under my blankets asleep. And I want some hot chocolate right now, some really good hot chocolate. *sigh* Woe is me._

_Dad's saying I have to get off and get back to work. I'll call you later, okay?_

_From,_

_Ripley_

_P.S. He and dad both have a fear of spiders. It's funny because I like spiders, but hate bugs._

**...\~/...**

It was now 5:36 P.M.

He had finally dozed off on the couch (Syd was in his room asleep) when his phone vibrated. Hikaru jumped, rubbing the sleep from his eyes when he looked at his phone. It said Ripley; he was surprised she was calling him. Maybe she was on break again since it was storming over in her state. He answered it with a sleepy hello. He closed his eyes again, trying his best to stay awake, listening for Ripley's response.

Heavy breathing again. Not this...

"Hey, is this Dawn? Do you have Rip's phone again?"

All he got was the small scream from before, but this time a different voice came. "_Sorry about that; Dawn's just...well, she's shy around guys that perform twincest._"

Hikaru sat up, his back resting against the arm of the couch. "Who is this?"

"_This is MJ, Ripley's best friend, the mother hen of the group._" Ah, MJ, the one going into psychology.

"Why do you guys have Rip's phone?"

"_She came home earlier to get something and she forgot her phone. We decided to call and get a taste of this Hikaru guy that's stolen her break times._"

"So, she talks about me?" Something about the thought of being the center of a conversation at Rip's place made him feel good. Now he wondered what they talked about. What _do _girls talk about with each other when it comes to guys that they like? During his high school days, girls squealed about how good-looking he and the rest of the Host Club was or about weird moe fantasies they had late at night. He always found fangirls kind of creepy.

"_Yeah, but she doesn't go on and on about you._" Then, MJ said something, but it wasn't directed towards him, it was said towards Dawn. "_Dawn, would you please put your tongue back in your mouth, and stop drooling! Rip was probably just kidding when she said he went all the way with his brother! People don't do that!_" Back to him. "_God, ever since Rip mentioned you and your brother, Dawn's salivary glands have been acting up._"

"Is she really that obsessed with twincest?"

"_Sadly, yes. Stop making weird gurgling noises! Sorry about that; didn't mean to yell in your ear. She's foaming at the mouth..._"

He couldn't help but laugh.

"_Hey, you know that five questions thing that you came up with?_"

"Yeah, what about it?" It was kind of strange that he was talking this casually with Ripley's roommates. He always assumed it would be awkward. But where were the other two? What were their names...ah, Renee and Erika? Maybe they were at work or something.

"_Can we ask you a few questions? Do you mind?_"

"Um...no, I guess not." Great, here comes the interrogation.

"_First, do you think hipsters are just trendy nerds?_"

Hipsters...she could've asked him any question in the world, but she asked about..._hipsters? _

"Trendy nerds...? More like wannabe fashionistas that obviously get dressed in the dark way too many times." Maybe he was a little biased; the blindingly bright, neon colors had never been his thing. MJ then asked about what he thought of guys wearing tight jeans, to which he responded, "They're obviously trying to show what they don't got." Twincest questions on Dawn's part; some were _pretty _creative and some he didn't even know how to respond to. _Is this how the mind of a fangirl works? _He thought as he answered Dawn's questions the best he could. The only question that he answered truthfully of Dawn's was whether or not he found his brother cute.

"Of course Kaoru's cute. He's the most adorable little brother there is on this world."

"_Okay, my question,_" MJ said. "_Have you ever seen Soul Eater?_"

"Um, yeah, who hasn't? One of my favorite animes, to be honest. Have to say this, though; a lot of people have told me that I sound _exactly _like Death the Kid. I've never heard the similarities, but people have said it."

"_Now that I hear it, you two do sound similar. That's so weird; cool, but weird. Dawn's got a question._"

Great, another twincest question, but he was ready for it.

"_Aw, she wants to know if you care about Rip._"

Hikaru opened his mouth to say something, but he closed it again. That was a good question. When they first started talking, he only liked talking to her, enjoying himself when she messaged him. Then, when they stopped talking, his thoughts would have been barely about their conversation, unless something reminded him of them. As days progressed, her messages were all he thought about. It helped distract him, helped get him through another day. Now, he always got butterflies in stomach, accompanied with warm feelings, and she always left him feeling good at the end of their conversations. He worried about her well-being and the dangers of the arboring business, especially after she sent him that gruesome picture of three of her fingers fingertip-less. He always texted her, telling her to be careful and to bundle up. Heck, he even sent her one of his brother's coats off of his winter collection in hopes that she would be warmer outside while working. He wanted to spoil her, wanted to help her accomplish her goals and complete her dreams. In the end, he said.

"Yes. I do care about her."

He didn't know why, but he could imagine a smile on MJ and Dawn's faces when he said that.

"_That's a good answer. I was prepared to fly myself over to New York City and kick your fuckin' ass._" MJ said.

Why did that remind him of something Tara would say.

"_Here's another question: what do you think of Harry Potter?_"

"Um, isn't Harry Potter about that kid wizard who goes to that one school? I've always been too busy to sit down and read or watch the series. Am I going to get scolded?"

There was silence on the other side and he could visualize Rip's roommate's jaw dropping.

Over the phone, he could hear the door to their apartment open and slam shut. Then, he heard Ripley's voice, asking if they had seen her phone. He heard the phone drop and MJ's frantic shouts. "_You...you can't date him! He's never read or seen Harry Potter! He's not good enough for you! He...he...you need someone better who's more educated and wise! Hikaru...Hikaru hasn't...he hasn't...oh my God! He's deprived!"_

There's that word again: deprived. Did deprived relate to boring?

"_Hika, is that you?_"

Her voice... "Oh, um, yeah, it's me. Your friends called me."

"_Yeah, interesting, aren't they. I suppose Dawn asked you lots of twincest questions?_" There was some laugh in her voice.

"Oh, yeah, some of them were _really _inventive."

"_I'm not surprised. Some of the questions she wanted me to ask you left me speechless._"

"Do you have to go back work?" He hoped she would say no.

"_Sadly, I do. We're still busy, but I promise to call you again tonight, okay?_"

"Alright. Will you _please _wear eighteen layers rather than seventeen? And can you _please _keep all limbs and other body parts out of the way of chainsaw blades?"

"_Aw, Hika, you take all the fun out of life. I was hoping to lop off a hand this time._"

"Ripley, _please?_"

"_Fine, fine, I will. And don't get swallowed up by any boas while I'm gone, okay?_"

"That was the original plan. Tonight, then?"

"_Yep, tonight. Talk to you later!_" Click.

"Yeah...talk to you later..."

**...\~/...**

It was now 12:23 A.M.

Hikaru had gone to bed shortly after his long conversation with Ripley when she had called after her day of doing business work. She had successfully managed to keep all body parts intact and she had avoided getting frostbite or any other cold-related illnesses. Hearing things like that come from her was always like a breath of fresh air for him. After saying good night to each other, he finally turned in. Unfortunately, Syd refused to leave his bed, and he really didn't feel like sleeping on the couch with that stupid snake out there, so he slid in beside her, making sure he didn't touch any part of Syd.

Out in the living room, unknown to both Hikaru and Syd, a sound that was similar to metal scratching against metal was coming from the door. Suddenly, the lock was released, allowing the front door to slowly swing open. A dark silhouette slid in, shutting the door behind them quietly. Walking towards the small hallway that led to Hikaru's room, the silhouette made its way over, but accidently bumped into a large garbage can, causing it to fall over.

"What the...?" the silhouette muttered, hoping that the loud crash didn't wake the occupants of the apartment.

Silence.

But what was that hissing sound?

A terrified scream bounced off the walls of the apartment.

Both Hikaru and Syd bolted upright at the sound of the scream. They ripped of the sheets, jumped out of the bed, and rushed out of the bedroom. Hikaru grabbed Syd's shoulder, stopping her before she entered the living room.

"Shouldn't we get a weapon?" he whispered to her.

"What are you going to use? The deadly plunger again? Idiot..."

Syd looked around the corner, checking the living room. Hikaru was about to say something when Syd casually sauntered into the other room. "Hey, Hikaru," she said. "Looks like we have another wannabe burglar, except this time, he has a fear of snakes." This made him look around the corner as well and what he saw made him arch an eyebrow.

There was Psybro, perched up on the couch, staring at Zag with wide, fear-filled eyes.

Who knew Psybro would have a phobia of snakes?

The brute looked straight at Hikaru, "Don't just stand there, do something!"

Hikaru stared back at him, arms crossed. "And I why should I? All you've done is torment me."

"U-Um, I-I'll s-stop! Just get that _thing _away from me!"

**...\~/...**

After Zag was carefully placed back in his trashcan and fed an already dead frog as an apology for the disturbance, Psybro slowly stepped off the couch, checking his surroundings for any other hissing beasts. Finding none, Psybro hesitantly approached the two; Psybro was surprised when Syd didn't seem at all intimidated by him towering over her. Syd stood there, looking unimpressed and bored with her arms crossed. She kept on mumbling about people not understanding the true beauty behind reptiles and how they were just a bunch of big babies.

"...and you won't push me down any more stairs?" Hikaru asked, this being his umpteenth request.

"No, I won't push you down any more stairs." Psybro said.

"Alright, I think we covered everything." Hikaru said, happy with the results. "By the way, you should watch your temper."

"Whoa, someone's being a hypocrite." Syd stated. She ended up in a headlock, Hikaru sending a sheepish grin towards Psybro.

"Fine." Psybro eyed the trashcan. "Is that going to stay here?"

Hikaru thought about this. What if Psybro was just agreeing to everything so that Syd wouldn't unleash Zag on him? "Yes, that snake's staying here."

"What?" Syd gasped, but Hikaru covered her mouth with his hand.

"So, if you don't want a six and a half foot snake wrapping itself around you, I would suggest you be a good boy, and move along."

Psybro sighed, "Fine. I'll leave you alone from now on."

With that, the brute left, slamming the door behind him. Once the door closed, Hikaru pulled his hand away from Syd's mouth, grimacing at all the spit that covered it from her licking it to try and get him to release his hold on her. Do you know how hard it is to keep a straight face when someone's tongue is moving all over your hand? It was freakin' difficult.

"What the hell, man?" Syd asked, gesturing over to the trashcan. "Zag is leaving with me."

"Yeah, but Psybro doesn't know that. If you move it while he's away, he'll think it's still here."

"Psybro...?"

"Long story."

Syd sighed, "Poor Zag, being used as a threat. All he wanted to do was play with that moron."

Before he knew it, Syd had Zag coiled around her, the young woman grinning like a fool.

And this was only his first day with Syd.

* * *

**In all honesty, this is probably my favorite chapter so far. I've always liked Syd as a character and I hope you like her as well. This was the first chapter that she's in; I'm expecting chapter 9 with be a Hikaru/Syd-bonding chapter as well, but a bit more intense. And Hikaru is going to run into someone in the next chapter and there's two people that I've picked, but haven't decided which one yet. So, I have two questions regarding Ripley: one) do you like her character so far? I'm thinking about having another message-based chapter somewhere, so look out! And two) how do you like the pace of Hikaley's relationship? Too slow, too fast, or just right? I'm content with the pace, but I was wondering what you guys think. I've always liked romance stories where the two main characters progress in their relationship rather than jumping into it in like...the first five chapters. By the way, I'm also going to start putting dates in the beginning in the chapters so you know when the chapter is taking place. **

**Author's Note - Fin**


	9. Even Around Old Faces, Be Cautious

**Step #9:**

**Even Old Faces Should Be Approached With Caution**

**...\~/...**

**January 18th, 7:14 A.M.:**

"_Goooood morning, New York, New York! This is your host, Kevin, and I have to say that it is a simply BEAUTIFUL day today! The sun on the snow makes it sparkle, people walking around with their significant others, and the month of love is just around the corner. Not too much longer now and Cupid will be flying around with his bow an' arrows of love. Now, before I get to today's weather forecast and sports, I have to announce that Kao-"_

"Can you _please _turn that annoying shit off? I can't handle that right now."

Hikaru paused in taking a sip of his coffee, peeking over the top of his paper.

Syd was standing in the doorway, fingers scratching her stomach slowly. Her light brown eyes were droopy with sleep, crust still snuggled in the corners, and she rubbed it away sluggishly. Syd's blonde hair was a rat's nest, Hikaru grimacing at all the tangles that her hair was caught in. He noticed how she was dressed in one of his T-shirts and was still wearing his boxers. And to think he thought she was gross-looking before; she was hideous in the mornings.

"Not a morning person, I presume?" Hikaru asked, taking a sip of his coffee, dropping his paper to the table.

Syd shuffled over to the fridge, "I'm a nothing person. I'd rather have a day where I can just- hey, where's the milk?"

"Most likely sitting on a shelf at the store, waiting to be bought, and taken home."

The blonde yawned, rubbing the back of her neck. "Can you go get me some? I need to go...mmmm...what was I saying?"

"You were saying something about going and getting groceries for me."

That woke her up. It seemed that the slightest mention of her possibly doing labor really turned her brain on. Syd turned towards him, eyes wide. "What? Why in the hell would I do that? Why would I get my _host__, _who is supposed to take care of his guest, which is _me, _groceries? I don't even know the city that well. What if I get raped or murdered or - or worse, I-I could be forced into labor? What if I get kidnapped and sold through the human trafficking system and whipped every night by my new-"

"I'll walk around shirtless."

"What if I get tortured and strung up in- wait, what?"

"I said, I'll walk around shirtless." Hikaru repeated, resting his cheek in his hand, narrowing his gaze at her. This always got her.

He sat there, practically watching her brain malfunction within her skull. Syd telling him her weakness had been a terrible mistake and now he was going to use it against her at every chance he got. Syd's jaw went slack at the thought of her being able to see his gorgeous torso agan. He hadn't been lying when he said he had been working out. She remembered the year Hikaru had attended her Boston school and he hadn't been very muscular back then, but over the years, he had changed for the greater good. She now remembered the day before when Hikaru had come rushing in with his plunger in hand, his defined torso exposed to all its wonderful glory. And now he was offering her a chance to see those delicious abs and pecs again, his toned arms flexing at everything he did. Syd's whole body went weak at the pictures in her mind.

"Write down a list."

Hikaru smirked.

Hook, line, and sinker.

**...\~/...**

It was snowing again, covering every reachable surface in the city. Syd popped her collar, trying to block the cold, blustery winds that hit her face viciously. Her face hurt and was red from the lashings and she couldn't feel her nose. She had planned to sleep all day with the occasional getting up and snacking, plus feeding Zag dead frogs. But Hikaru had to ruin her plans and persuaded her to pick up milk and other groceries from the 24-hour convenient store three blocks away. Along the way, people bumped into her without an apology, and kids screamed to their parents to get them the newest toy that came out. Little things like that reminded her why she despised human civilization; humans were so damn annoying. "Hikaru..." she growled. "Instead of shirtless, you better walk nude for me."

Syd's brown eyes read all the signs that she passed under.

Endless Treasures Antique Shop.

Slick Willy's XXX Store.

Wrap A Ribbon Around A Gift Shop.

Bob and Ted's Car Repair and Restoration.

Syd glimpsed into the open-door car garage for a moment when she passed. All she saw was sweaty men bent over engines, spitting out balls of tobacco juice and drinking black coffee. She heard the clinks of tools and the bangs of hammers from outside. And something about the warm, inviting glow from the overhead lights made her want to slink into one of the garage's corners unnoticed and revive some of the feeling in her face and hands. But she walked past, looking at each face of every mechanic.

Something made her stop and double back.

Wait, was that...? No, it couldn't be... No, it was...

A young man around her age was standing in front of one of cars, dressed in nothing but a simple white tee that bore grease stains, a pair of worn jeans with holes in the knees, and faded brown work boots. She could see that his thick, brown hair was slicked back with a large amount of gel, grease was smudged on his face, almost getting into his dark eyes, and his features were still the same, sharp and handsome. _He _was still handsome. Syd didn't realize she was staring until the young man was nudged by one of the older ones, and he caught her stare. Oh God, awkward...

Syd started to walk away, quickening her pace when she heard a loud, "Hey!"

She jumped when someone grabbed her shoulder and spun her around, "Hey, do I know you?"

"Uh, no, sorry." Syd said, lowering her voice. What if he was good at remembering voices?

The blonde started walking away again, but she heard him say, "Wait, no, I know you. You're that girl that almost flunked out."

Syd stopped, not turning to look at him. Great, that was what people thought of her, not the fact the fact that she redeemed herself in her final year of high school and managed to graduate in the top ten percent of her class. That she had reluctantly worked diligently with Kyoya all that year. All that work had gone unnoticed by everyone; she even remembered how no one clapped for her at her graduation, besides her sister, Leanne, and little brother, Michael. It had been awkward, it had been embarrassing, and she had been stared at with wide eyes from all her classmates when she had walked up to receive her diploma. She was _so __happy _that they remembered her for all the good things she did...yeah right, there was a reason she didn't miss high school.

_Oh, but you'll miss high school! Once you get out in the real world, you'll wish you were back!_

_Whatever, Leanne, you have things to miss; I don't. I hated that place and still do._

"What was your name? Uh...Sydney?" the man asked.

"No, it's Syd; I don't go by Sydney." That name was abused while growing up.

"Uh...you remember me? You probably don't; we didn't talk."

Johnny Summers. If there was one thing he could be remembered for, it was definitely the fact that his parents had been thrown into jail for selling crack around Boston and him being left behind to take care of five younger siblings- three boys and two girls. All throughout high school, he worked three jobs, and struggled through school because he couldn't keep his eyes open during class. No one had been there for him, he had survived on his own. From what she remembered of all the rumors she had heard growing up, Johnny had had plenty of girlfriends, but they had been skanks looking for a good time. After awhile, he gave up on trying to find someone, breaking the hearts of many of his admirers. Syd had to admit that she found him attractive; there was something about men working on cars that was a major turn on for her.

"Johnny Summers. We were in the same class." Syd wanted nothing to do with him.

"You look cold. Want some coffee and warm up? Ya know, catch up and everything." Oh, _now _he wanted to talk to her.

"Yeah, fine, but only for a few minutes."

**...\~/...**

He wasn't actually going to go shirtless for her. She'd done what he wanted and that's all that was going to happen. Hikaru smirked as he pressed the power button on his Xbox, watching it glow green. Syd had been putty in his hands when he said that and he had loved watching her melt to mush right in front of him. It was too cold to walk around with no clothes on; was she really that stupid to think he'd do such an idiotic thing like that? Hikaru plopped himself down in front of the TV, rubbing the pads of his thumbs over his wireless Xbox controller. Hikaru couldn't wait to see the disappointed look on her face when he would announce that he'd been messing with her. Total payback for trashing his apartment.

Hikaru looked through his messages with a bored look. People from his high school days, the teenage boys that had wanted so desperately to be him back then, had sent him tons of game and party invites. Why would he want to talk to them? They had all pretty much been boring anyways and he really didn't want to waste time catching up with them. The only people that he had stayed in touch with were the ones from the Host Club, although two particular Hosts were out of the question. One message caught his eye, though.

**~ThexGhostxBehindxYou~ has sent you a friend request.**

Hikaru accepted it, despite that fact he had no idea who they were. He just liked their gamertag.

**~ThexGhostxBehindxYou~ has sent you a party invite.**

Sure, what the heck? It was a good way to pass time.

Once he had accepted it, a burst of noise filled his ears. The party consisted of five people: SlitherKiss101, ~ShadowxXxSting~, lllllViperlllll, ~ThexGhostxBehindxYou~, and LoLwita:D. Four of them were men and one was female. From what he could hear, the men were pretty foul-mouthed and loved to bash each other with insults, but for some reason, they all seemed to be light-hearted insults. SlitherKiss101 had a tenor-based voice and sounded the most gentle out of all of them; ~ShadowxXxSting~ had the highest voice of them all and he was the one that was mocked the most, mostly for having to be revived all the time; lllllViperlllll had a deep, commanding voice, and he was the one that told the others to knock it off when they were getting too harsh; and LoLwita:D had the deepest voice of them all and he was the one that seemed the most compeititive out of all of them, shouting a string of curse words every time something didn't go his way.

"_Hey, Hika, what's up?_" And that was ~ThexGhostxBehindxYou~. Ripley's voice.

"_Who the hell is...LoneTwin007? Stupid name._" came Lolwita:D's rumbling voice.

"_Joey, shut up and leave him alone. Also, take a look at your gamertag and then shove your previous words up your ass._"

So LoLwita:D was Joey, the eldest brother.

A chorus of 'Oooo's came through his TV. Then, lllllViperlllll said, "_Ripley Elizabeth Barrett, potty mouth much?_"

"_But, Dad..._"

"_Ah, ah, ah, I don't want to hear such language coming from your mouth again._" lllllViperlllll was Mr. Barrett, her dad.

"_Yeah, sissy, watch your fuckin' mouth!_" ~ShadowxXxSting~ commented, laughing. Hikaru heard Ripley laugh and he smiled himself. Her laugh, he had come to find, was a bit contagious. She had told him on numerous occasions that she hated her laugh and that it sounded like a mixture between her uncle's high-pitched squeal and a dying hyena. Her description had made him laugh when she told him. After she laughed, so did everyone else. "_Jesus, your laugh is so fucked up._"

"_Thanks. So is your face, Mark._"

"_Help! I've been wounded by Rip's lame insult! Really, sissy, I thought I've taught you better._"

"_You did, but you've gotten dumber over the years and you probably don't have the brain capacity to understand my insults._"

Another chorus of 'Oooo's. ~ShadowxXxSting~ was Mark, the second oldest, and the one Ripley argued with most. So that must've meant that SlitherKiss101 was Quin; fitting name since he liked creepy crawlies. Hikaru searched through their profiles and discovered that they were playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3. Luckily, he already had that game in there, so he didn't have to get up and mess with anything. Rip invited him to their game and he accepted.

"_Seriously, though, who is this guy?_" Joey asked.

"_Um...well, this is Hikaru Hitachiin, the guy I met over Red Hue._"

There was an eerie silence, a very eerie, _awkward _silence. Ripley had seemed hesitant in introducing him and he wondered if she was embarrassed or ashamed by him. He had told her some asshole things he'd done to previous girls, but she had never seemed bothered by them, but that didn't mean her brothers had the same reaction. Maybe she had never talked much about him to them and maybe they were just reacting the way old brothers do when they meet their younger sibling's boyfriend or girlfriend. Not that he and Ripley were actually dating; they'd only known each other for about a month. Hikaru's mind switched over to the time he met Kaoru's girlfriend for the first time. He had also given that eerie silence when he realized that his younger brother was being taken away by a total stranger. Hopefully Ripley had said nothing but good things...hopefully...

"_Kick him._" Quin's voice hissed. So much for being the most gentle of the group. "_I don't want to hear his fuckin' voice right now._"

"_Rip, what are you trying to do, make him cry?_" Mark asked, that laugh still in his voice, now being more malicious.

"_Let's kill him mercilessly._" Joey growled, his baritone voice sounding dangerous.

Shit, this was _not _good. Hikaru could practically feel the hatred radiating through the TV. He had imagined his first encounter with her brothers being one of light-heartedness and humor, not one of death threats and mockery. He could only imagined how they looked in real life. Joey looked like a steroid-induced gorilla in his mind, while Mark looked like a snickering, bloodthirsty hyena and Quin was in the shape of vicious, venomous viper. Mr. Barrett had gotten offline earlier, so Hikaru had no idea how to picture him. And he was their prey and they were ready to play with him before killing him. The lone twin, much like his gamertag hinted, gulped, trying to swallow down the lump in his throat. He'd much rather be at the end of Psybro's fist than Ripley's brother's cutting words. God, was he in for it.

And the game began.

"_Guys, why did you kick me out? Hey, don't gang up on him! Sorry, Hikaru..._"

Did he mention it was him against her three animalistic brothers?

There was twenty minutes on the clock...twenty minutes of pure, video game hell. It hadn't been three seconds when someone came up behind him, blowing him to smithereens with a grenade launcher. And to think he was good at this game; these guys were pros. Three minutes and he'd already been killed eleven times with him managing to stab Quin with his combat knife. However, he'd been exterminated with crossbows, sniper rifles, P90s, machine guns, predator missiles, a swift sweep of helicopter bullets, everything. Hikaru felt like a powerless bug and the three Demonic Brothers were the exterminators, trying to kill him off permanently. Four thousand and seven hundred and fifty to his measly three hundred. There was no use... But there was one thing that made him snap: Ripley's loud encouragements.

"_C'mon, Hikaru, they're all assholes! Nothing but insignificant, heartless cowards! C'mon, win for me!_"

It was from those rants that caused his masculine pride to swell and finally catch up to the Demonic Brothers' high score. He had to be sneaky, though, taking their avatars' lives from behind with quick sweeps of his guns and rushed swipes of his knife. He could never stay in one spot for too long or they would corner him and shoot him down, so he was constantly on the run. Then, when he released his ferocious pack of German Shepherds, all hell broke loose. And when he got his hands on a cockpit ride in a helicopter, that was the wonderful end of the game.

Mark's devious snicker came through the speakers, "_Too bad, you lose, fucker._"

Joey added, "_And to call yourself worthy of our sister's attention. Get lost, asswipe._"

And Quin finished viciously, "_What the hell was up with your technique? All you did was camp._"

Hikaru had never felt so humiliated in his life.

**xXxHell's~Personal~HarpyxXx has joined your party.**

**. ::Shadow::King.::. has joined your party.**

"_Who the hell are these people now?_" Mark asked. God, did that laugh ever disappear?

"Hey, Tara-senpai, Kyoya-senpai." Yeah, he had been surprised when he had learned that Kyoya played Call of Duty.

"_Oh shit, you guys are soooo going to die now!_" Rip's voice rang out. She knew about these two.

"_Seriously, who are they?_" Joey questioned.

"_Hmmm, what would they call us, my love?_" Kyoya's voice asked smoothly. "_Reinforcements?_"

"_I would think so, but add bad-ass before reinforcements, and you've pretty much got it._"

After that, Ripley was allowed back in the game, and the round two began. Now, it was four against three: he, Ripley, Tara, and Kyoya vs. the Demonic Brothers. More of a fair game in his opinion, especially since both Kyoya and Tara were kick-ass at Call of Duty. When the countdown ended, Tara and Kyoya ran off in one direction while Hikaru and Ripley went off in another. Explosions went off, grenades caused debris to fly in every direction, and enemies dropped due to Kyoya and Tara sniping at different sides of the map. Hikaru soon found out that Ripley was pretty damn good at the game; she was straight-forward and went right in for the kill. It was difficult keeping up with her at times. But it felt good playing with her, fighting alongside her, even if it was just a game.

He found himself laughing.

"_Wow, Hikaru, haven't heard you laugh in awhile._" Tara's southern drawl said through the TV. Another enemy down.

"Never had much of a reason to."

The front door creaked open and slammed shut. Syd was back.

"Who are playing with?" Syd asked. Was that a pinch of happiness in her voice?

"Tara, Kyoya, Ripley, and her brothers. Grab a controller and-"

"So, are you going to tell her about the other woman?"

Hikaru froze.

"_Other woman? What other fuckin' woman? Shit, I knew he was a rotten bastard!" _Quin's voice yelled through the speakers. And he sounded MAD...

Then, the worst thing happened. His stomach jumped to his throat when he heard Ripley ask in a small, hurt voice, "_Hika, what is she talking about?_"

That was the last thing he wanted to do to her- to hurt her.

Hikaru stood up, shutting the Xbox down without a good-bye. He then turned to meet the cold, mean stare of Syd.

**...\~/... **

"What the hell are you trying to pull saying stuff like that?" Hikaru yelled, hot on Syd's trail as she rushed to the kitchen. Dropping all her bags, she just stood by the fridge, hands curled into tight fists. She was shaking, her whole body quivering like she was trying to keep the anger in. He was pissed at her, angered that she had tried and probably succeeded in starting something. Why couldn't she keep her mouth shut? He was having such a good time and he even thought he was gaining the respect of Ripley's brothers before Syd had to come in and ruin it all. All the questions Syd had asked the day before came rushing back to him.

"What gave you the right?"

He saw her mumble something, but it was too quiet.

"Speak up!" He wish she hadn't.

"I...think you're pathetic..."

He stood there, feeling dumbfounded.

"I think you're pathetic, pitiful, and..._disgusting. _You're a prime example as to why I hate humans. You...you find a toy, play with it, and get rid of it when you're bored." Her glare sent a shiver up his spine. Spending all those long hours with those animals had rubbed off on her. "That woman is nothing but a play thing to you. She's just a distraction, that's it. You're...you're revolting..."

"Then why the hell are you here if you find me that _disgusting?_"

Syd growled, "You shouldn't be asking that question! You should be defending that woman! I just called her your play thing!"

"She isn't, though! I care about her! I told you that yesterday!"

A small laugh came from Syd, then she flicked her gaze in his direction. "You know, all my life, people have called me lazy, unenthusiastic, and that I don't put any effort into anything." She pointed at him. "We're a lot similar than you think we are."

"Wha-? What in the world are you-"

The blonde stepped towards him, "You don't put any effort into anything either! If you did, you'd already be over Haruhi! But yet, you're not! That's because you don't want to! You may call it stubbornness, but I call it laziness. You may say you're so in love with her that you're love for her is screwing up your judgment; I just think you're putting absolutely no effort into finding someone else." She snarled. She _actually _snarled at him. "_You disgust me. _Playing with a woman that might want to be your mate in the future and you're too lazy to get over Haruhi! All you're going to do is break that woman's heart due to _your _selfish wants, you _sick, disgusting bastard._"

"And what does it matter to you, huh? Why are you so upset about me still being in love with Haruhi?"

"But that's it, I've never cared!"

"Then, why-"

"But now, it's personal." She gestured between herself and Hikaru, slouching a bit. "You want to know what I had to do on Christmas Day after you went off on your little temper tantrum? I had to sit there and watch Tara cry! Do you know how _hard_ it is to watch the person you look up to, who is _known _to _not _cry, cry?" She pointed at him again. "That's when it got personal. Before then, I never gave a _shit _about you. I always thought you were stupid for being hung over on a girl that could never be yours!"

"But I-"

"Hikaru, you selfish bastard, give her up! She can _never_ be yours! Haruhi is in _love_ with someone _else,_ she'll _never_ want _you! _You think you're the only one that's hurting, but you're too blind to see that you're not! You're causing pain for everyone else, too! Tara's worried about you, Kyoya is as well. You're own brother is scared to death that you'll do something stupid-!"

"What _is _stupid? 'Hikaru, don't do something stupid!' That's all I ever hear!"

"You dunce! Stupid means _suicidal!_"

Hikaru froze. "You really think..._they _really think I'd-?"

Syd nodded, "Yes, they do." She sneered at him, "Everyone's beat around the bush, trying to protect you, but I'm not going to. That's how bad you are. Moping around, pining for a woman that you can never have. Pathetic..."

He couldn't let her go just like that. Haruhi had been his first. She had been the first to see he and Kaoru as individuals, two separate halves of a whole. Yeah, she may had been blunt when listing the ways she had figured them out, but it was just the concept that she had broken through the wall he and his brother had spent so many years building, trying so hard to make it unbreakable. No one had ever done that before; no one had ever gotten under their skin like she did. That's when he started falling for her. When she had been in danger, he felt like part of his world was going to disappear. It was no longer him and Kaoru, Kaoru and him; it was he, Kaoru, and Haruhi. Even when she had rejected him, he still wanted her. Even when she had said the word 'yes' when Tamaki asked her for her hand in marriage, Hikaru still yearned for her. Even when she said the words 'I do' to that idiot, he still _loved _her.

"She was the first one to tell us apart. No one had been able to do that before..."

"That's because you and Kaoru didn't put any effort into making yourselves different. Everyone else tried to get close, but you didn't let them, yet you hated them for it. They _gave up_. You two were a lost cause after they failed trying to connect with you for so long."

Damn it... Why was she so spot-on?

"We were unfortunate..."

Syd snorted, "Unfortunate...? _Unfortunate...? _Hikaru, you don't even _know _what that word _means._"

Then, he said something that he immediately regretted saying.

"At least my mom never made a living on her _back._"

He didn't know why he said it; it just slipped out.

Syd looked taken aback, but she immediately charged after him, tackling him to the ground. She was straddling him, the front of his shirt in her fists. Their faces were so close, he could smell the coffee she had earlier in her breath. Syd looked like an absolute animal. Her hair was a mess again, her lips curled back in a ferocious snarl, and her eyes were narrowed and full to the brim with anger. But he felt like he partially deserved this for what he said. It had been a low blow, but he wanted to take her down a peg with something about her past she'd always felt insecure about.

And that was her mom being a whore, a streetwalker, a _slut._

"The dictionary definition of 'unfortunate' is not fortunate, characterized by bad fortune; unsuccessful, unhappy, inauspicious, or unlucky...a...an unfortunate person." The grasp on his shirt tightened. "I...I would remember. I was three years old when...I-I read that in the dictionary. Mom...she...she had called herself an unfortunate person for me being born. I was a mistake, she said. She hated all three of us- me, Leanne, and Michael. Did...did your mom ever say things like _that _to you?"

He didn't answer.

"Answer me! Did she?"

"N-no..."

"No, she never did. You've _always _had a loving mom, a caring dad; I don't even know who my dad is. All three of us don't. You and unfortunate don't belong in the same sentence. Kaoru has always been healthy while my brother has been diagnosed with leukemia. You've always lived in a nice house while Leanne and I had to cuddle together on the couch because our mom was too busy fucking strangers to even give a damn about us. That's why I never cared about you. You treat people like dolls, flinging them to the side when you're done with them...like...like all those _goddamn bastards_ that treated mom like a toy..."

He couldn't see her eyes anymore for they were hidden by a curtain created by her blonde bangs. She was shaking, salty tears sliding to the tip of her nose, falling to his shirt.

"I...I always wanted to impress her, though. But I never could, even today nothing can make her smile."

_I bet your mom was proud of you._

_Yeah right, all she did was tell me I stunk of fish and threw me out of the house._

"Nothing could impress her...nothing... I wanted her to love us...we loved her so much..."

"Syd..." He really was sorry. He reached up to tuck her hair behind her ear, but she slapped his hand away.

"I don't need your sympathy." she growled. "I want you to stop hurting her..."

"Who?" he asked gently.

"Tara...I care...I care about her _so much._ She...she acknowledged me..."

"I know she did."

Now the tears were really starting to fall and she was shaking uncontrollably now.

"I want you to love that woman. I want you to move on so you won't hurt her anymore. Love her..."

That's when she got up off of him.

"I _hate _you, Hikaru."

She left without another word...

**...\~/...**

Syd didn't have anybody to go to. She was alone in this big, empty city. Everything was foreign to her; the buildings, the people, the laughter she heard, the love she saw, everything. All around her was nothing but unfamiliar faces, faces that didn't show any concern. People didn't stop to ask why she was crying, why she was sobbing. Why _was_ she crying? Was she crying because of what Hikaru had said? No, she'd gotten used to the torment people gave her about having a whore for a mother. No...she was crying for Tara, and all the pain her idol felt. Whatever that woman felt, Syd felt too. The worry, the fright, the sadness...and it was all because of that scumbag. That _scumbag _that was too selfish and lazy to get over something he could never have. It was all so pathetic...

There were people _everywhere_. Wouldn't one of them stop to ask if she was okay.

No, they wouldn't... That's why she _hated _humans.

"Shit, kid, are you okay?" Wait, what was that? Someone actually asked her...

Syd looked up to see she was under the sign that said, 'Bob and Ted's Car Repair and Restoration'.

She hadn't even realized that she was standing right in front of the open-door car garage, revealing her tear-stained face to everyone. She watched through misty eyes as Johnny approached her quickly. Syd just stared at his chest when he stood in front of her, afraid that if she looked up at him she'd break down crying again. She was wrong, there was one person she could go to in this big, empty city.

"J-Johnny..." she whimpered, sniffling.

"Damn, kid, you look like shit." Johnny said quietly, whipping out the red rag from his back pocket. Syd felt one of his large hands on her shoulder, the other dabbing her face with his rag, trying to rid away the tears and snot. The man in front of her had a serious, yet gentle look on his face as he gave her all of his attention. Then, a crooked smile appeared on his face, his thumb pressing and moving against her cheekbone. "Heh, sorry, I just got grease all over you."

"T-that's o-okay." She'd never sounded so pitiful before.

Then, she did something unexpected. Something so unlike her character.

She threw herself into his arms, reminding her of all those women in those romantic movies.

"I...I-I'm s-sorry if t-this is a-awkward for you, b-but..."

She felt his hand on her hair, his other arm encircling her. "No, it's fine. Can I get you something to drink?"

"C-can y-you...?"

"Yeah, c'mon, you look cold."

His arm was around her shoulders, keeping her close to him. This contact...was so weird to her...

"And then afterwards, I'll kick the ass of whoever did this to you."

**...\~/...**

Hikaru stopped running when he was in the middle of Central Park, allowing himself to catch his breath. He had no idea where Syd was and he looked in all the possible places she might've run off to: the many zoos in the area, Alexander's Café, but she was nowhere in those locations. He asked random people from different directions if they had seen a blonde woman with a Skrillex T-shirt on, but all they did was give him weird looks and walk away. Why did no one seem to care? Was people lacking compassion the reason Syd hated humans so much? Is that why she hated _him _so much? She was all alone in a foreign city with a tear-stained face and a foggy mind right now. There was no one else she could run to, so where the hell was she?

She wouldn't answer his calls.

She wouldn't reply to his texts.

She couldn't hear his yells for her.

Where the hell was she?

"Hiya, Fruitcup."

Where was- Fruitcup? Oh God no, not _him..._

"It's been awhile, hasn't it. Have to admit that I've kind of missed you...missed tormenting you that is."

Hikaru reluctantly turned towards the voice, eyes narrowing at the sight of Salem Warsaw, who gave a mocking sort of salute. "What do you want, Salem?" Hikaru growled, his fists clenched. He was definitely not in the mood to hear Salem's rude jabs towards him about his sexuality and "obsession with his twin brother". First his argument with Syd, now this? Lady Luck was just not with him today, was she?

"I'm just wanting to know why you're running around? Mmm, wait a minute, I know. Trying to catch your dignity again?"

"Not in the mood, Salem." Hikaru muttered, holding up a hand to stop the man from saying anything else.

The ash-haired twin started to walk away when he heard, "If you're looking for that blonde chick, she went that way."

Hikaru spun around, "Which way?"

"The way I pointed towards. Maybe if you had been paying attention rather than being rude and walking away without a goodbye kiss, you would know where to go."

"A goodbye kiss? And you call _me _gay."

All Salem did was smirk. "She looked pretty upset. You should leave her alone for awhile. I'd rather face a raging wolverine than a upset woman."

"Fine, be that way. I'm leaving."

Salem chuckled, "How about I get you a whiskey- the key to solving all problems."

"With you? No thanks. Maybe never."

"Aw, c'mon, Fruitcup. Oh wait, you're probably one of those apple martini kind of guys, aren't you? Don't drink the big boy stuff yet?"

That was it. He'd had it. Time to prove himself as a man.

"Fine. Whiskey. Go."

**...\~/...**

Bars were disgusting, that's what Hikaru pretty much thought all throughout his and Salem's whiskey break. Sweaty, old, hairy bikers were gathered in clumps across the small, dim-lit room. Women wearing sleazy costumes threw themselves all over anything that pretty much moved and they were particularly fond of him and Salem, but the both of them rejected every woman's advances. And Salem had fun tormenting Hikaru in different ways. Like slapping Hikaru's back painfully when the younger of the two took his first gulp of whiskey. Hikaru's eyes had watered from the potency of the amber liquid, a burning sensation taking place in the back of his throat, causing Hikaru to cough up the alcohol back up roughly. Salem had gleefully exclaimed that whiskey was for real men anyways. Now, Hikaru was used to whiskey (well, just a little bit), and he could knock back small amounts. The golden-eyed man took a tentative sniff; sweat, booze, and B.O. What a _great _aroma...

"I know about your dilemma, Fruitcup."

That snapped him out of his thoughts. "What did you say?"

"I know about your problem with women- the one back in Japan, the one on Red Hue, all your failed dates."

"Who told you?" Hikaru asked.

"Cassidy."

"And you're not going to laugh at me? Not going to poke fun at my problems or...or destroy my dignity or pride?"

Here it comes; the insult... "Wasn't planning on it."

"You're such a bast-! Hold on. You're _not _going to make fun of me?"

"Nope."

"Not question my preferences?"

"Nope."

"Never call me Fruitcup again?"

"Hey, let's not go _too_ far."

Hikaru narrowed his gaze, unsure on how to react. He was suspicious, of course. This was Salem that he was sitting next to; the cold bastard that loved to make people squirm. He cared about no one and everyone returned the same feelings. Salem was not a nice person, but neither was Hikaru on most occasions. Maybe they were more alike than he liked to admit. Let's see: they were both bitter, both had problems with women, and had at least one person that they cared about- Salem with Cassidy and Hikaru with Kaoru. Hikaru tilted his head to side, watching Salem sip his whiskey casually, the burning liquid having no affect on him whatsoever. Salem Warsaw was attractive, Hikaru had to admit. The man had slicked back, dark brown hair with intense, stormy gray eyes. His body was muscular and tall with broad shoulders. How a man like him ended in a kitchen rather than a model was something Hikaru had no answer to.

"The only real failure in life is the failure to try. Do you know who said that?"

"No."

"Neither do I, but do I really need to explain it?"

No, he didn't. It kind of reflected on what Syd was trying to tell him earlier. About how he was lazy and wasn't putting an effort into moving on. She was right; he wasn't trying at all. All his thoughts that related to Haruhi, all his memories he had of her was keeping him back. He'd always been aware of it, but he never wanted to admit that piece of knowledge to himself. And now Salem was telling him the same thing. Hikaru never realized this, but he had to be the most thankful towards those two- Salem and Syd. They were two individuals that didn't candy-coat situations.

"Here's another one: If you love somebody, set them free. If they return, they were always yours. If they don't, they never were. Richard Bach, whoever that is, said that."

Haruhi loved him, but never in the same way he loved her. She loved Tamaki and Tamaki loved her. Hikaru remembered when he had confessed his love to her, during their class 1-A trip to the ski resort. Even then, he couldn't handle rejection. The gap between his confession and the time Haruhi would return her answer, he had been terrified of the word 'no'. He had wanted her so badly, wanted the privilege to hold her in his arms when she was scared during a thunderstorm or when she was sad every time the anniversary of her mother came around. He had wanted to protect her from everything wicked, mean, and evil, even if it killed him. He had felt her pain and sorrow when Tamaki had yelled at her, every single time. He loved the way she could see right through his walls, right through his fake smiles, and read his thoughts. He loved her. He had set her free, but she never came back.

"Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment."

"Buddha."

"Exactly."

Haruhi was in his past. He wanted her in his future. She wasn't with him at the moment, though. He had Kaoru, his dear brother; he had Tara and Kyoya, two people who had always been there for him; Hunny and Mori, those two always had his back, even if they were thousands of miles away; he had everyone at the café, who were all ready to pick him up when he fell again.

And he had Ripley. Oh God, how was she now? What was she thinking? Did she still want anything to do with him?

Haruhi _was _the other woman.

"In three words, I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on. Robert Frost said that."

Life. Goes. On.

"Why are you telling me all this?" Hikaru asked.

"Because I made the same mistake, too. And look how I turned out. Bitter, mean, a twisted sense of humor. I don't want you to have to suffer the same fate, Fruitcup." With that, Salem sighed, knocking back another shot of whiskey. "You still have time. Use it."

"What happened?"

Salem was quiet for a moment, making Hikaru feel like he was out of place for asking.

"I let the death of my love ruin me."

Just like Hikaru was allowing his love for Haruhi do to him.

"At one point in time, I was in love with a woman named Diana Hart. She was beautiful; had a smile that warmed my heart every time it was pointed in my direction. I was crazy about her. She fell for my best friend, though, a man I owed so much to. He had pulled me out of the gutter a few times in my life and even today I feel like I never did pay him back. They got married; watching them kiss at the end of aisle had been a blow to me. So there I was, in love with a woman that I couldn't have, and a hatred for a man that I both cared for and owed a lot to. Sound familiar?"

"Yeah, like me."

"Hn, well, things didn't turn out good in the end. I had pushed them out of my life completely, thinking that maybe if I forgot about them, I could move on in my life. One day, I get a phone call from the hospital, saying that they had something for me. So, I went, and they dropped a baby in my arms. A baby! What the hell was I going to do with a kid? Well, that baby had been named Cassidy, the daughter of my best friend and the woman I pined for. They had died in a car accident earlier that day. So, all in one day, I learned that two people I owed a lot to died and I was a father. And I let it all tear me apart. It made me bitter and foul-tempered. But there was one shining light in my long, dark tunnel."

"Cassidy?"

"Yep. That kid is my life. No, she _saved _my life. Cassidy gave me something to live for, something to wake up in the mornings for. I tried my best raising her to be the complete opposite of me, but in some aspects, I failed. Like her fucked up taste buds. I will never, _ever _forget the day he asked me for frog leg ice cream. That had been a definite 'WTF' moment." That's when Salem smiled..._he actually smiled. _"But it seems that you already have a light at the end of your dark tunnel. Actually, you have a lot of lights trying to guide you out. Heh, you could say I'm one of the lights..."

"I always thought you hated me."

"Well, no, taking pleasure in tormenting you and hating you are two totally different things."

Salem was there for him. No freakin' way.

"So, what I guess I'm trying to say is, is that I care for you, in an odd sort of way. We all do."

They were there for him.

"So, we're all rooting for you in the background, Fruitcup. Don't you forget it, either."

"Thanks, Salem...thanks for everything."

"Now, now, Fruitcup, don't get all mushy on me now. I'm not letting you cry on my shoulder. This shirt's a hundred percent cotton; it'll shrink."

So much for _that _touching moment.

**...\~/...**

"Are you feelin' better now, Syd?"

"Yeah. Thanks for that pep-talk."

"My offer to kick his ass is still up for grabs, ya know?"

"Heh, that would be pretty funny. Hikaru's kind of a shrimp; you could take him."

Silence.

"Hey, Syd, I get out of here at six."

"Uh...I'm...happy for you?"

"No, um, let me finish, okay? I was wondering it you'd want to get something to eat with me."

"Like...l-like a date?"

"Yeah, like a date. I'd pick you up at around seven. I'll take you somewhere fancy, so dress up, alright?"

"U-uh, y-yeah. Seven...got it... Y-you can pick me u-up at the Alexander's Café."

**...\~/...**

Hikaru was left in this disgusting bar all on his own. Salem had said something about taking Cassidy out for lunch, so he left Hikaru to fend for himself against testosterone-loaded biker dudes, slutty women, and the sickening stench of sweat, booze, and cigarette smoke. He'd gotten used to whiskey now, Hikaru now being able to gulp down the amber alcohol without his eyes watering or his throat feeling like it was on fire.

He hardly noticed a young, petite woman slide herself onto the barstool beside him, ordering a scotch on the rocks.

He hardly noticed her gaze shift towards him slowly.

He hardly noticed the way she tilted her head to the side, like she was trying to figure out who he was.

He did, however, noticed how she said, "Hikaru...?"

* * *

**MUHAHAHAHA, cliffhanger! Any guesses to who she might be? You'll never guess. *cough* Chapter 3 *cough***

**Sooo, we had a bit of nostalgia, a bit of a reality check, and a bit of intensity. Also, anybody like the Johnny/Syd so far? And did anybody like the Salem/Hikaru-bonding that went on in this chapter? I did! So, I hoped you liked this chapter, and I'm hoping that maybe chapter 10 will be up soon. It'll be the last chapter that has Syd as a main character. And then chapter 11 will be the Valentine's Day chapter! I have something very special planned for that! Chapter 12 will either be a Hikaru/Ripley message-based chapter or something else I have planned. Also, I have to thank zerofourone and her idea that inspired me to write some of the events in this chapter. **

**By the way, LuxenShadow123, I listened to that song you mentioned in your reviews. Let's just say, I loved it~!**

**Author's Note - Fin**


	10. Don't Tease A Woman's Blush

**Step #10**

**Don't Tease A Woman's Blush**

**...\~/...**

**January 18th, 6:18 P.M.:**

"Ow! Stop pulling my hair! I asked you to help me, not- OW!"

Hikaru gritted his teeth, tugging the brush through Syd's blonde hair. "Well, maybe if you didn't have a rat's nest for _hair, _this would be easier to manipulate." he muttered, biting on his tongue when the blonde in front of him yelped again, pushing him away and rubbing her tender scalp. The brush slipped from his hands, but it didn't drop to the ground. Instead, it just dangled in Syd's hair. He'd never seen such a horrible mess before. After this, he was definitely taking Syd shopping for better clothes, and he was not going to let her walk away without knowing some fashion tips. God, he _did _sound gay.

"Owww, my head hurts..." Syd whimpered. "Why do you have to be so rough?"

"I wouldn't have to be if you'd take better of your hair. Seriously, do you ever brush it?"

"Only on Wednesdays and Sundays." Syd replied. But she quickly said after Hikaru gave her a glare, "Kidding, kidding."

"I would hope- GAH!" Hikaru was suddenly propelled forward when someone jumped on him from behind. A pair of arms wrapped themselves around his neck, a giggle erupting near his ear. He hated this close contact and there was only one person that was brave enough to pull such a move: Natalie Northwick. In his peripheral vision, he could see Megan and Angela to his right, setting down a handful of shopping bags, and Cassidy was to his left, stacking at least a dozen shoe boxes on top of one another. Hikaru had run to the café staff girls for help after Syd had run in frantically, hair a mess and glasses askew.

_"Hikaru...?"_

_He turned his head to look directly at the woman beside him. She was gorgeous; short, dark red hair that hung above her shoulders in loose ringlets; big, blue eyes that widened when she got a good look at him; and her face was still heart-shaped with its plump lips and small nose. She was still beautiful, albeit a little tanner than the last time he saw her, but still so breath-taking. He had loved her, but she hadn't loved him, or else she wouldn't be saying his name in such a questionable manner._

_"Deana...?" _

_The woman smiled, jumping from the stool so she could wrap her arms around his neck tightly. Hikaru remembered how she always did that when she greeted him, and he had always returned the gesture by encircling her with his arms. They had once fit together like two puzzle pieces. Now, it just felt awkward and uncomfortable, and he would've pulled back if it wasn't for how happy she looked seeing him. _

_"Oh my God, Hikaru! I'm so happy to see you! It's been so long!" She pulled away, concern taking over her happy expression. "Have you lost weight? You seem...thinner than before. Oh my gosh, you look like nothing but skin and bones! What happened? And you look tired. Have you been sleeping well? You have shadows under your eyes." Deana rambled on worriedly, but Hikaru wasn't paying any attention. He wouldn't be in this state if he'd stop having women walk out of his life unexpectedly all the time. His eyes flicked back over to Deana; her lips were still moving at a rapid pace. A trait that he had once found endearing, he now found her incessant chatter annoying. _

_And he found it inappropriate how she hugged him right off the bat. She was a married woman, now. What was she doing in a bar anyways?_

_"Hikaru, are you listening to me?" she asked, tilting her head to the side a bit. She looked like a curious puppy._

_"Not particularly..." he muttered, gulping down another shot of whiskey. Now she looked like a wounded puppy._

_"You're still you're rude self, aren't you?" Her words were a little criticizing._

_"Well, excuse me. If I recall correctly, it wasn't me that walked out of the relationship without another word. Well, I apologize for being bitter." _

_Deana sighed._

_"Hey, Hikaru, does this dress make me look fat?"_

His thoughts were interrupted by Syd's voice. She had a displeased look on her face as Angela smoothed out all the wrinkles. It was a teal-colored dress that stopped just above the knees with a ruffle bordering the bottom. His face scrunched up in disgust. "Ugh, that color clashes horribly with your eyes. Plus, it does make you look fat. Take it off."

_"Are you going to hang that over my head, Hikaru?"_

_"You should've just kept to yourself, Deana."_

_"Oh, c'mon, haven't you moved on by now? I mean, I know the way I left wasn't the best, but...you weren't ready..."_

_He turned on her, eyes narrowed and a vicious sneer was sent her direction. "Weren't ready? What the hell? I told you that I was ready to move on, but you disappeared on me. Instead, I got nothing but ignored calls, unanswered texts, and a bunch of heartbreak. Then, your little postcard from Bali was the icing on the cake, saying you're on your honeymoon with your new husband. So, don't you dare call me rude."_

_The whiskey was really getting to him, but that didn't stop him from drinking down another shot._

_Deana looked hurt. He didn't care, though._

_"Listen, I know I was...abrupt... I apologize for that, I really am. But, I'm happier now, and-"_

_"Oh, just as long as you're happy, Deana, then everything is a-okay." He wanted it to sound harsh._

_"...you look happier, too." Wait...he looked happier?_

_"How-?"_

_"You were so angry back then. You were hurt because I wasn't the one you wanted and I was a constant reminder of that. You didn't want me at your side; you wanted her at your side. My being there only made it worse. Even when you told me you were ready, I knew you weren't."_

Syd twirled around in a two-layer gown- the lower layer being a solid cream color and the upper layer being a see-through lace that was designed in a floral pattern, and there was a black bow that went around the middle. It was pretty, but not what he was looking for, even if the cream and black color went well with Syd's blonde hair.

"I like this one a-"

"Nope. Next."

"But-"

"Ah, ah, ah, I don't want to hear anything. Next."

_"You weren't the only one that was hurting, Hikaru. It hurt me just as much as it hurt you; that's the truth. It took me awhile to get over you, but I did. I thought about you every day, though. Always hoped that me leaving would give you time to think about your own feelings. Don't get me wrong, though; I wanted nothing more than to move on with you, but I didn't want to be a constant reminder of something you didn't have. By the looks of it, you still don't have her, do you?"_

_"Nope, still alone. I wouldn't have been if you hadn't wandered off. We'd still be together right now."_

_"Yeah, but you would've still been angry. I didn't want to do that to you."_

_"Oh yeah, 'cause you leaving me so suddenly would've made me really happy. Should've thought that one out a little more, Deana."_

_"Heh, I guess I should've. But...have you met anyone yet. I know you just told me you were still alone, but has there been anyone that's caught your interest?"_

_"...Ripley..."_

_"What was that?"_

_"Her name's Ripley. I met her on Red Hue. She...she means a lot to me, even if I have known her for about a month."_

"What the hell is that?"

"It's the dress I picked out!" Cassidy exclaimed, beaming.

"What are you? Blind?"

"Uh, _no_... What? Don't like it?"

"It's hideous! I think...I think my eyes are burning to crisps!"

It was mustard yellow...and looked like a bathrobe...that's enough information...

"Your eyes? I think my skin's peeling off!" Syd yelled.

"Get it off and burn it! Cassidy, you have horrible fashion sense, too!" Hikaru shouted.

"Well, _excuse me_. Sorry that I wasn't born into a family that had a mom for a fashion designer." Cassidy retorted.

Oh God, he vomited in his mouth a bit...

_"I'm so happy for you, Hikaru! What's she like?"_

_And he just let everything go. Deana listened intently with that little tilt to her head and her wide eyes were curious and fixed on him and him alone. He told her about how nervous he had been when he first started talking to Ripley, how he had been scared that he would run her off like everyone else. Hikaru told her about their first real discussion: how Ripley hated chemistry and he loved it, how he was a deprived, inexperienced child compared to Ripley (he had said that with a laugh), how he hated sludge now because of her, how one of her best friends was a twincest lover and how another was obsessed with the series Harry Potter. He told Deana about the time he called her for the first time when he needed somebody there that he could talk to and escape reality with; about how he had just felt comfortable, even when she had just been humming and cleaning up around the bathroom. Hikaru laughed when he recalled all the times he begged Ripley to be careful when she went out to work and to stay away from chainsaws; he shared his fears with the woman next to him when Ripley had sent him pictures of her fingertips cut off from having an accident consisting of a chainsaw and her hand slipping. The butterflies he got in his stomach, the warm feeling that would spread throughout his entire body when he saw her name on his caller I.D., the tears he got from laughing too hard when she told him her hysterical stories, how she was one of the few people that could make him truly smile, the few times he'd fallen asleep by listening to the soothing tones of Ripley's voice; he told Deana everything._

_"But...I think she's hurt now..."_

_"Hikaru, what happened?"_

_"Well, I was playing Call of Duty earlier with Ripley and her brothers, who, by the way, probably all want to kill me now, when Syd came in and asked if I had told Ripley about the 'other woman' yet. Other woman meaning Haruhi. And right when Ripley and everyone else could hear her! Shit..." _

_Another shot of whiskey._

_"Go ahead. You can tell me." Deana urged gently._

_"I...she...her voice sounded so hurt; it killed me. 'Hika, what is she talking about?' That's what she had said. I'd never heard her sound so...small before." He clutched at his shirt, the place just above his heart. His chest felt so heavy from remembering the way Ripley had sounded; from remembering that he had been dishonest and secretive towards her this whole time. "It hurts so bad..."_

_"From what you've told me, she sounds like a-"_

_"You don't understand. I can't tell her. What if she leaves me, just like you did?" His words hit a sore spot in Deana. "You don't know how crushed I felt when you left me. I was ready to move on, but you didn't listen to me. I was so sure I was. The way you had been so happy to see me, the way you comforted me when I was feeling lonely, all that disappeared. I felt like a failure, just like I had felt when Haruhi rejected me so many years ago. I felt like I wasn't good enough for you, especially when you sent me that fuckin' postcard from Bali." he said through gritted teeth. "I don't want to fail Ripley."_

_The glass in Deana's hand broke; it actually broke. Scotch coated her whole hand and she completely ignored the towel the bartender threw in her direction. Deana's hard stare was concentrated on him and him only. _

_"Hikaru, I won't let you say those things about yourself. If anyone failed in our relationship, it was me. I failed to make you happy or else you wouldn't have still been hung up over that other woman. Granted, you were a little hard to handle sometimes, like when your temper would flare up or your possessiveness would show every single time a guy talked to me, but that's who you were. You're a wonderful guy, but you're flawed, just like everyone else. I loved your devious side; your pranks and jokes always made me laugh. I loved the tender side you'd show every time you held me, whispering sweet nothings to me at night. And don't get me started on your sarcasm." She had said that with a small laugh. "Any girl would be lucky to have you. Of course, she'd need a lot of patience at times, but she'd be blessed. Sometimes...I'm a little ashamed of myself for leaving you. But...I just wasn't the right girl for you."_

_Hikaru opened his mouth to say something, but Deana catching his chin, and stroking his cheek with her thumb, stopped him._

_"But this Ripley woman seems perfect for you."_

"Oh my God, Syd! That looks perfect on you!" Angela exclaimed. "I knew I had good fashion sense!"

Hikaru shook his head, ridding his mind of all his thoughts, and looked ahead.

Syd...actually looked like a girl.

"It does...?" Syd asked confusedly, lifting the shirt up a bit. "I mean...it's alright, but I-"

"You look beautiful."

Everyone stared wide-eyed at Hikaru after he said that. He was being honest, though; she did. The dress was black with two elegant patches of jewels embellishing it, one patch on the right side of the waist and the other sitting diagonally to the waist pattern on the top rim of the chest. The skirt was layered and fanned out, swooping shortly past her knees, the skirt adorning a slit right in the middle. It flattered her figure, which wasn't much of anything. Syd didn't possess any womanly traits like some of the other women in the room. Syd's hair was twisted in a stylish bun behind her head, strands framing her face. Natalie had stolen her glasses, Syd's light brown eyes shining under the lights. They had made her dazzling, gorgeous, and girlfriend material.

"If Johnny isn't weak in the knees when he sees you, he's a fool." Angela added.

"R-really? Y-you think so?" Syd asked, twirling, the skirt twisting around her legs.

Natalie laughed, clapping her hands, "Ooo, again, again!"

_"She's perfect for me?"_

_"Yes, anybody that can make you feel all those things is the one for you. Don't let her go, Hikaru; love her..."_

_Syd had said the same thing. She'd begged for him to love Ripley._

_Deana smiled. "Of course. I'm sure she wouldn't leave you because I just have a feeling she'd stay by your side if you told her. You need to stop keeping her in the dark about everything and just come out and confess."_

_"Honey, are you ready to go?" a voice asked behind them. Hikaru and Deana turned to see a man standing behind them. He was tall and lanky with a long neck and prominent Adam's apple. His sandy blonde hair was spiked in the front with gel and his dark eyes were hidden behind blocky glasses. He would've been considered a geek in high school, he would've been the kind of guy he and Kaoru would've snickered at when he wasn't looking. Deana smiled widely, jumping off the barstool, rushing over to take the man's hand._

_So, this was her husband. Beauty and the Geek...funny..._

_Hikaru turned, expecting her to leave without another word, but he heard heels clack hurriedly towards him. Moments later, lips were planted against his cheek, a pair of soft, warm lips he used to kiss every day, the same pair that used to send sparks through him, but now didn't. Unbeknownst to him, she had left a lip-shaped lipstick mark on his pale skin._

_"Love her, Hikaru, and I know you'll be happier. You're already moving towards happiness, so don't stop, 'kay?"_

_She left with her geeky husband before Hikaru could respond._

_The bartender threw him a towel, pointing at his cheek. "You have lipstick on your face, kid."_

"...don't you agree, Hikaru?"

"What? I didn't hear you." he said.

Angela narrowed her gaze, "Are you okay? You seem kind of spacey."

"Uh, no... I'm fine."

Heavy footsteps came up the stairs that led to the apartment. Nathan came into view.

"Hey, that guy Johnny is- whoa, Syd, wow!" Nathan said excitedly when he caught a glimpse of Syd. "I always thought you were pretty, but you're beautiful!"

A blush spread across Syd's face. "T-thanks."

Megan pulled out her phone, smiling slightly. "I think Tara would be very happy to receive a picture of this." Then, there was the shutter sound, and moments later, a picture message was sent.

Hikaru stepped up to Syd, offering her his arm. "Can I present you to your date?" he asked.

Syd took his arm hesitantly, "Um...sure..."

**...\~/...**

Johnny was pacing around the café uneasily, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. And when he caught a glimpse at Syd on Hikaru's arm, he stopped immediately. His mouth was agape and his jaw practically dropped when Syd approached him slowly (Hikaru had to give her a little shove in Johnny's direction), her face showing that she was almost as nervous as he was. Angela was behind Hikaru, looking to see if Johnny looked weak in the knees.

"Yep, he's definitely not a fool." she whispered to Megan.

"How do you know that exactly?" Megan whispered back.

"Woman's intuition." Angela answered.

Hikaru shushed them so he could listen.

"Wow, kid, you look...amazing." Johnny said, his voice shaking a bit. It'd been awhile since he'd been with a woman.

"Thanks. Uh...so do you. I-I mean, you look really...handsome." And this was her first date _ever. _

"Compared to you, I don't think I'm ready for the Amaranth."

Amaranth was known to be one of the best restaurants in New York City. They were upscale, expensive, and only allowed the best-looking of people inside. Hikaru had to wonder how someone like Johnny was even going to make it in; if he did, how was he going to afford it? Syd would make it in no problem now that she actually looked like a woman, but Johnny? Nuh uh, never going to happen.

Once the couple left, Hikaru turned towards the café staff girls.

"Who here has been to Amaranth?"

**...\~/...**

"Hikaru, this is ridiculous." Megan scolded, her arms crossed in front of her. "It's _their __date_. You shouldn't be nosy."

Hikaru's arms were folded over the low wall that separated their table from Syd's table. The two were seated far in the distance, away from the wall that Hikaru was peering over. Syd and Johnny were watching their waiter silently as two long glasses of wine were set carefully in front of them. The couple looked awkward, both in appearance and emotion. They stuck out from everyone else in the restaurant and nervousness was spread across both their faces. Even Hikaru felt their awkwardness.

"Don't you want to know how their date goes?" Hikaru asked, ducking down behind the wall when Johnny looked his way.

"I'm pretty sure Syd would've told us afterward." Megan replied, her voice telling him that she was annoyed.

"Well, that would've been _boring._"

Hikaru sneaked a peek over the wall again, ignoring the glances from the customers that sat right next to the wall. Good, Syd and Johnny were attempting small talk. Shouldn't Johnny be smoother when it came to women? From what Syd had told him and from what he could remember from his days at the Boston high school, Johnny had had quite the few admirers, along with girlfriends. Hikaru watched Syd shake slightly in laughter. Maybe the date would take a different route and get better.

"Do you spy on all your friend's dates?" Megan asked.

"Considering I've only witnessed two dates, this one and Tamaki's first date, so yes...I do spy on all my friends' dates."

"Excuse me, sir and madams," a voice said in a polite manner. Hikaru quickly slid back in his seat. Acting like a child was not acceptable in Amaranth and he really didn't want to be kicked out so early in the date. The waiter gave a small smile, his thin mustache perfectly molded into his upper lip. "May I interest you in our best wine? We get it specially from one of the best vineyards in France."

Angela clapped her hands together, giving a tight-lipped smile, "Yes you may. I'll take a glass." Everyone chimed in as well.

The waiter bent his head in a well-mannered gesture and said, "I will be back with your drinks and salads."

Small talk was held amongst the women at Hikaru's table, but he was concentrated on the pad of paper and pen in front of him rather than their conversations. Angela looked over, peering onto his paper. From what she could see, he was writing down questions, labeled 'SYD'S QUESTIONS'.

"Don't you think some of those questions are a bit personal?"

Hikaru perked up, glancing at Angela. "They'd make for an interesting conversation, though."

"You don't ask those questions on the first date, Hikaru."

"I would." he replied.

"Really?" Angela questioned, sounding doubtful. "Would you ask _Ripley _those questions?"

Hikaru stopped writing. After a couple moments, he ripped the paper off the pad, tearing the page into little pieces. "No."

Cassidy snickered and said loudly, "You should have Syd ask him out big his di-"

"Shut your mouth, Cass!" Megan hissed, covering Cassidy's mouth with her hand. Megan gave a small, sheepish wave in some customers beside them, who had given their table narrowed, condescending glares. The red-haired Alexander turned back towards the beanie-clad other. "Cassidy, you can't say disgusting things in such a public place like this. Didn't Salem teach you manners?"

Cassidy pulled Megan's hand away from her mouth. "Salem would've said the same thing."

"Cassidy..." Megan growled.

"Fine, fine...whatever."

Natalie beamed, leaning closely to Hikaru. "She should ask him if he likes panda bears! They're so cute and fluffy! How can he not, though? Everyone likes panda bears!" She was definitely invading his personal space. He could literally feel her breath against his face. Hikaru couldn't help but be reminded of all the Host Club fangirls, the ones of him and Kaoru, and how they would try and get up close and personal. Those girls had had no self-restraint. One had tried to sneak onto their property so she could raid their room, but the security had tackled her to the ground before she got five feet away from the gate. Yes, Natalie was _exactly _like those fangirls. He was surprised that she hadn't tried anything drastic, like breaking in and stealing his boxers or something.

"I _hate _pandas." Hikaru said. He didn't really; Hikaru just enjoyed the hurt look on Natalie's face.

Megan said, "Don't have her ask _anything _about religion or politics. Those are two things you don't discuss until you're in a very serious relationship."

"Really?" Hikaru asked, sending a spine-shivering (in the bad way) grin in Megan's direction. "Have you asked Kyle yet?"

A thick blush spread across the red-head's cheeks, almost matching her hair itself. "Um...I...no! We aren't dating!"

"But you wish you were."

Before Megan could respond, their waiter arrived with a cart that had five Caesar's salads placed neatly on it and a ice bucket with a bottle of wine sticking out of the ice. The waiter gently placed five widely-dipped wine glasses in front of each of them (he didn't use the pinky trick) and filled them all halfway with shimmering, blood red alcohol. Next were the salads, dressings, and freshly shredded Parmesan cheese. The waiter retreated with another small nod of the head, wheeling the cart away.

"I wonder how they're doing." Angela said, taking a sip of her wine.

Hikaru dropped his salad fork onto his plate and spun around in his chair, resuming his spot at his outlook post.

"Ugh...they're just talking. Can't they do anything interesting?" Hikaru muttered.

"They're in a public place. There isn't much for them _to _do." Angela replied, staring at Hikaru's back.

Again, Cassidy sniggered, "They could do each oth-"

"Cassidy!" they all shouted, ignoring the other patrons, glaring at the unashamed woman.

**...\~/...**

A gazelle under a hyena's paw.

That was the only way she could describe the way she felt.

She didn't belong sitting in Amaranth. She came from a poor background, worked diligently every day to get some money in her pockets and food in her mouth, and didn't speak in polite, yet condescending tones to people. Syd tried her best to ignore the harsh whispers from the women and men that surrounded them. She was the gazelle and they were the hyena. The women snickered and whispered behind their hands, eyed narrowed, staring straight at her. The men leered at her, smiling crookedly at her when she caught their roaming eyes; she must've been somewhat attractive since the men around her looked at her so lecherously.

But that didn't stop her confidence from plummeting back to Earth.

She had felt so beautiful walking in.

Syd was nothing but a defenseless gazelle in this situation.

"Hey, kid, are you alright? You look a little pale."

Johnny Summers was very handsome; that aspect of him was especially prominent tonight. He looked like he belonged in Amaranth. When they had walked in, the old women blushed and the young ones were whispering to one another excitedly, staring straight at him. And they all had glared at her; Syd had nearly let go of Johnny's arm when their waiter had walked forward, showing them to their seats. He looked cool, confidant, and sleek. Johnny belonged...

"Yeah, I'm fine. Hungry, though. Wonder where our waiter went." she replied, making sure her voice was even.

"You look like you're 'bout to hurl. You wanna leave or somethin'? I can take ya home if you're not feelin' well."

"No, really...I'm fine. You paid so much to get in."

Johnny gave her a curious gaze when a waiter passed by them. The tray the waiter was holding slipped from his hand.

In wasn't even five seconds and Johnny's lap was covered in Italian cuisine.

**...\~/...**

"That was delish." Angela commented, watching their waiter pour more wine in her glass. "I can't wait for the pasta. I read that it was to _die _for!"

"Have you ever had _real _Italian pasta?" Hikaru asked, lifting an eyebrow.

"Like in Italy? If that's what your referring to, then you should already know that answer."

He should've known the answer was no.

Once the waiter was gone, Hikaru looked over the wall. "They're still talking! Ugh! Hurry! Someone play a ruffian and go pester them!" That was something Tamaki would've said...and Kyoya would've been the bad guy. Now that he thought about it, Kyoya being a hoodlum was ridiculous; he had _way _too much poise to do something so stupid. Hikaru looked over his shoulder, looking over the four women at his table. Angela was too pretty, Megan was like Kyoya and had too much elegance, Natalie was stupid...

"Cassidy, put your vulgarity to work, and go rough them up a bit." Hikaru commanded.

"Are you stupid or something? I don't want to die."

Hikaru slouched in disappointment, sliding back into place. He set his elbows on the table, putting his fists on his cheeks. Natalie laughed and pointed at him, saying something about a funny face he was making. This was boring. All Syd and Johnny were doing was talking and he wanted something exciting to happen. Plus, he had a long list of questions to give to Syd, so that there could at least be a little bit less awkwardness between the two. Those two were pathetic, boring, and unenthusiastic.

"Can somebody go spill wine over his head?" he asked.

"No." the four said in unison.

"How about someone accidently fall into his lap?"

"No." they answered again.

"How about someone drop food all over Johnny's lap."

"NO!"

Cassidy watched as a waiter with a tray of food in his hand glided past them, weaving throughout the tables expertly. She stood up, looking over the low wall. Hikaru noticed this, remaining in his pouting pose, but watched her carefully. That's when Cassidy reached in her back pocket, pulling out a wooden slingshot.

She cocked her head.

Bit her tongue.

Pulled back.

Fire.

**...\~/...**

Johnny stood up, arms held out, food plopping to the carpet. The waiter stood there, a shocked expression spread across the young man's face. Syd watched as Johnny turn on the waiter, his handsome features twisted in anger. Italian food smeared across his shirt and pants when he grabbed the waiter's collar, pulling him flush against him. The waiter looked helpless.

Like a gazelle...

"What the _hell_, man?" Johnny asked through gritted teeth.

"I-I'm so s-sorry, sir. I don't k-know what h-happened."

"You better goddamn figure out what happened or I'll have you-"

Like a gazelle.

Syd found herself standing up, pressing a hand to Johnny's chest. Her dark-eyed date looked down at her, his face still full of fury.

"It was an accident. Go clean up."

"Kid-"

"Johnny, go."

He released the waiter, sneering at the young man before leaving for the bathroom. Other waiters had flocked around her table, already cleaning up the mess. The waiter that had spilt the food turned to her, face full of guilt. "Ma'am, I really don't know what happened. I do this all the time and nothing like this has ever happened before. I'm so-" He stopped when Syd held up a hand.

"It's fine. No one can blame a gazelle, ya know."

"W-what?"

Syd realized what she said and shook her head. "Nothing. Just an analogy of mine. Hey," He looked down at her. "I want what he was wearing."

**...\~/...**

Now they were all staring over the wall at Syd's table.

"Cassidy, I can't believe you did that." Angela muttered.

Natalie laughed, clapping, "Again! Again!"

"You are so dead!" Megan growled, jabbing a finger into Cassidy's face.

"Yeah, but I made something awesome happen, didn't I?"

Hikaru grinned, "Yes...yes, you did."

"Don't encourage her, you bastard!" Megan yelled.

Someone cleared their throat behind them. They were all in their seats in less than two seconds. Their waiter stood there with a tray balanced on his hand. He had a frown on his face- not a good sign.

"Sir, I hate to inform you, but some of the patrons in neighboring tables have filed complaints about disturbances occurring at table thirty-seven or in other words, _my table. _May I ask you to cease your childish actions and stay in your seat like a good little boy?"

Hikaru flashed him his signature smile, "You must be mistaken, I haven't been-"

"Sir, I must ask to be sure, but do you doubt my accusations?"

"No, but-"

"Then I must remind you that I can do foul things to your food and you would never notice."

He gave that little nod again and walked away, tray tucked under his arm.

"He's not getting a tip." Hikaru mumbled, crossing his arms. "And he didn't deliver my list of questions."

Angela nudged his arm. "Well, here comes another waiter."

**...\~/...**

Syd half wished Johnny would hurry back and she half wished he'd never come back. She wanted him to distract her from the whispers, but she didn't know what to say to him. She guessed she could tell him about her animals back in Chicago, like Cookie the gorilla she interacted with on a daily basis (when she wasn't away on business) or little Preston, her white tiger cub that came the month before and how to tell tigers you were the boss by bopping them on the nose. Syd sighed to herself. She had never seen herself with anybody. Humans had always seemed to shy away from her while animals were so much easier to connect with. Animals didn't need to be impressed...cats, though, they needed to be impressed.

"Excuse me, ma'am, but I have a message for you. The writer or writers told me to keep their names anonymous."

"Uh, thanks..." Syd said, taking the folded note the waiter held out to her.

He walked away.

**...\~/...**

_Dear Awkward-Looking Lady,_

_Here are a list of questions you can ask your equally awkward-looking date:_

The handwriting was varied and there were five different styles.

_What would you do if I covered your entire house in Post-it notes that had love messages on them? _This style was nothing but chicken scratch. Syd had to squint to read what this person wrote.

_Who would win in a fight: Godzilla or Chuckie? _The style was child-like with big, loopy letters.

_Do you prefer Beethoven or Bach? _Style looked was a neat cursive that reminded Syd too much like Kyoya.

_What's the kinkie _Syd noticed how their handwriting was a scrawl as well, but someone scribbled over it.

_Would you like to hear about my crazy animal stories? _Thank you normal cursive!

"Sorry it took me so long. They gave me an extra pair of clothes, so I changed."

Syd's head snapped up when Johnny's voice reached her. He sat back down, giving her small smile.

Syd cast her eyes down and said, "Would you like to hear about my crazy animal stories?"

"I thought you'd never ask, kid."

**...\~/...**

Hikaru inspected every piece of pasta before placing it in his mouth. After their waiter's threat to him, he was paranoid. He even had Natalie eat his food when he wasn't sure about something, just to make sure it wasn't poisoned. Natalie hadn't fallen over foaming at the mouth yet, so he assumed that his food hadn't been tampered with...yet...

"Hikaru, would you calm down. He was just messing with you." Angela said, watching the man next to her play with his food.

"Just watch; I'll take a bite and keel over." Hikaru muttered grumpily. He was bored again. All Syd and Johnny were doing was talking. He shouldn't have given Syd that list of questions; he found out that watching them be awkward was more entertaining than watching their date succeed with pleasant results.

"Cassidy," Hikaru said, getting the attention of the beanie-clad woman. "Break his wine glass."

Cassidy frowned, "No thanks. I don't want _my _food to be messed with. Ew, Hikaru...is that a cockroach in your pasta?"

Hikaru jumped up from his seat, standing arm's length from his plate. Very cautiously, he grabbed a fork and flipped over every noodle, bracing himself for some big roach to tackle him. But there was nothing. Megan glared at him, "Did you really expect something? This is a five-star restaurant. I'm sure they check for rodents and other pests on a daily basis. Now will you please sit down? You're making a spectacle of yourself." And indeed he was. Strangers from all around were staring right at him with scrutinizing gazes. Hikaru seated himself slowly, crossing his arms.

"Hikaru, how old are you again?" Megan questioned, lifting an eyebrow as she looked over her menu.

"Twenty-one." he replied with a pout.

"Well, you're acting like you're two. Stop acting like a child." she ordered.

He went to argue, but remembered that this was _Tara's _sister. "Yes, ma'am."

"Hey, they just ordered their food, and the waiter's coming this way!" Cassidy exclaimed.

Sure enough, Syd and Johnny's young waiter was walking towards them, and when he reached their table. "Waiter!" Hikaru called out.

"How may I assist?" the waiter asked, his hands clasped politely in front of him.

Hikaru smiled, "Can you show me where the bathroom is?"

"Yes, I can, sir. Follow me." the waiter said, gesturing towards the right.

"Cassidy, c'mon, you're coming with me." Hikaru said, standing up.

"What the hell, Hikaru? I'm not going to the-" Suddenly, Hikaru threw his wine on her, watching the woman jump from her seat. "This is my best polo!"

"Come on, then. I have a few remedies of getting stains out."

**...\~/...**

"You have weird tastes in food. I need your help." Hikaru said, weaving through the cooking stations in the kitchens. After the wine incident, Hikaru had dragged Cassidy to the bathrooms, waited until the waiter disappeared, then the two snuck to the kitchens whilst finding chef's uniforms. Hikaru had discovered that Syd and Johnny's table was number seventeen. "Seventeen, seventeen...where's seventeen?" Hikaru muttered to himself, looking over every order. "Ah ha! Seventeen!"

"We're going to get in trouble for doing this." Cassidy said, crossing her arms. "I'm not up for this."

"Okay, so Johnny ordered a seven ounce sirloin steak with A-1." Hikaru informed, ignoring Cassidy's statement.

The red-head stared at him, frowning. "Are you going to tamper with his food?"

"And Syd's. Payback for her yelling at me earlier." he said, looking over different spices.

Cassidy's eyebrows furrowed, "Is that why we're here in Amaranth? Payback? Why don't you just grow some and admit she was right?"

The man beside her frowned, dumping cayenne pepper over Syd's Italian dish. "I have admitted that she was right."

"Then why are we here?"

"Because I thought it would be _fun._"

Cassidy continued to stare at Hikaru before saying, "On my baked potato, I like to put whipped cream and maple syrup."

The ash-haired twin grinned, "That's perfect. For once, your weird taste buds are worth something."

**...\~/...**

The food was set down in front of Johnny and Syd.

Johnny cut off a bit of steak, biting it off his fork, and immediately spit it out.

"What's wrong?" Syd asked, pausing in her lifting of her fork.

Johnny didn't answer, only brought a napkin up to his mouth, spitting out the contents. "There's chocolate sauce...on my steak."

"What?"

"Exactly!"

He took a bite of his baked potato, repeating in his spitting it out. "I think that's maple syrup and whipped cream..." Syd raked her finger across the potato on his plate, sampling the condiments.

"Yep, that's whipped cream and syrup. That's even worse than my meatloaf milkshake."

Johnny looked down at Syd's food. "How's your food? I hope it's better than mine. They screwed up big time."

Syd took a bite of her Italian dish. Suddenly, a fire-like sensation soared through her mouth, her tongue feeling like it was swelling. She spit out her food and grabbed her wine glass, dousing the fire in her mouth with the alcohol. That's when she spotted the peppers in her food, habaneros to be exact, and the reddish hue of cayenne pepper in the sauce. Was this dish supposed to be _that_ hot?

"Geez, kid, you're sweatin'! That's it! Waiter, get your ass over here!"

A nearby waiter hurried over, bowing slightly. "Is there something you need, sir?"

Johnny stood up, "Yeah, you crackpot, a total refund! I don' know how you guys run this joint, but I expected somethin' a bit better!" Johnny rested a hand on Syd's back, helping her up. "C'mon, kid, we're leavin'." Johnny put an arm around Syd's shoulders, purposely ramming his shoulder into the waiter when they passed him, and left the restaurant all together.

**...\~/...**

"Gorgeous, isn't it?" Johnny asked, leaning against the railing of the Empire State Building's observation deck. Syd rested her hands on the railing, staring out at the panoramic view of the lit up New York City. He was right; it truly was gorgeous. Chicago could be pretty to look at as well, but it didn't even come close to New York. Her brown eyes scanned the buildings, trying to find Hikaru's apartment building, but was unsuccessful. Syd remembered the first time she had been invited to Hikaru's place; she had been in awe at how gigantic the place had been. Indoor and outdoor pool, gym, built-in restaurant; his apartment building was like one of the those five-star hotels. Though, she wasn't surprised that someone as loaded as Hikaru chose a place like that.

"Um...thanks for the date. I really enjoyed myself." Syd said.

"No problem, kid. It was nice to catch up. It's been awhile since I've talked to someone from high school."

They were silent for a few minutes until Syd asked, "Did you ever...ya know, _notice _me in high school?"

Johnny was quiet, then he turned to her, still leaning against the railing. "Twice, I did. Other than that, no."

"Well, when did you notice me?"

He smiled. "You probably don' remember, but I took my siblings to the Boston Zoo once, and you were givin' free elephant rides. My sister wanted to ride one and you helped her up. At that moment, I saw a side of you that I'd never seen before. At school, you always looked like you hated the world and people, so I never approached you. But, you're different around animals, aren't you? Most people probably don't know this, but you have _some _compassion in that detached personality of yours. There were times when I wished you would've opened up to others."

"No, I remember that time. Or at least the elephant. Her name was Bettie."

The man beside her gave a chuckle, "I had to remind myself that there had been a time when you weren't always lazy. 'Member fifth through seventh grade? You were one of the smartest in our class. You answered questions right every time, your homework always had hundreds on it, and you always got that one A on the tests. I remember admirin' you for workin' so hard. We had similar backgrounds, so I liked how someone like me could achieve so much. You kinda drove me to work harder in school. But then, when eighth grade came 'round, you just...stopped. That girl that I wanted to beat at everythin' disappeared. Let's jus' say, I was a little bit disappointed. I'd lost my rival..."

Syd couldn't help but be a little disappointed in his answers. "So, you only looked at me like a rival? Nothing else?"

Johnny eyed her, "What did ya want me to look at you as?"

"Erm...nothing. Forget it."

"Cough it up, kid; what did ya have in mind?"

"Nothing! I didn't mean anything by-"

His lips were against her cheek, causing her shut up immediately. When he pulled back, Syd brought her hands up to her cheek in an instant, face heating up immensely. Johnny only smiled at her.

"I have to admit that I had a crush on you in middle school."

**...\~/...**

Hikaru was still dressed in his Amaranth attire when he plopped himself down on the couch. It had been a freakin' long night and he was exhausted. He was just beginning to doze off when his phone buzzed in his pocket. His eyes immediately widened and he froze. Oh God, what if it was Ripley. Her small, hurt voice echoed in his head, making his whole body feel heavy.

_Hika, what is she talking about?_

"Hello?" he asked hesitantly. He couldn't bring himself to look at the caller I.D.

"_Is that Hikaru?_" a small voice asked.

"_Yes, this is Hikaru, the reason why you found Dawn on the floor foaming from the mouth that one day._" And that was MJ.

"_Oh my gosh...I couldn't breathe the last time..._"

Hikaru sat up straighter. "Is that Dawn? Whoa, she can talk?" he laughed. He pulled the phone away from his ear when there was a high-pitched squeal. "_His voice...how can Rip talk to him all the time? It's so sexy!_" Dawn exclaimed.

"_You seriously think his voice is sexy? Too nasally for me, probably all that neck fat of his crushing his vocal cords._"

"Neck fat? Who the hell was that?" Hikaru asked. The bad thing was, was that he brought his hand up to his neck to check.

"_That was Renee. Ignore her._"

"_Bitch, you better shut up before I boob check you._"

"_Guys, he can hear us._" That must've been Erika, the quietest one.

"Why did you guys call me? I was just about to-" Suddenly, there was a scream on the other end, followed by a loud thud. "What the heck happened?"

"_Oh, I just punched Renee and she fell over, being her dramatic self._" MJ answered.

"Oh, I thought it was Dawn having another fangirl attack."

It was quiet for a moment before someone gasped on the other end, "_Are you really Japanese?_" MJ asked excitedly.

"Yeah, didn't Rip mention that?" She ignored him, gasping again.

"_Oh my God, Asian, talk to him in_ _Japanese! Oh, we call Erika Asian. We've done that since high school._"

"_Guys..._" Erika sounded hesitant, so Hikaru took the first step by asking her if she was originally from America or Japan, to which she replied that she was America, her mom being Japanese and her dad being American. Then, she asked him if he liked America or preferred Japan. He answered that he really enjoyed being in America, but missed his family and friend, mostly his little brother. The other three were silent for the most part, Dawn piping in every now and again about how cool it was for him and Erika to be speaking in Japanese so rapidly. Hikaru had to admit that it was pretty cool that Ripley had a Japanese friend, a detail that she had left out.

"_I wonder what they're talking about._" Dawn muttered on the other end.

"_Probably about your sick obsession with brothers gettin' all hot and bothered with one another. Urp...I think I just puked in my mouth a bit._" Renee retorted. Thump. Scream. And a, "_Bitch, please, punch me again, I dare you._" THUMP! Then, something that sounded like a battle cry came after, on Renee's part.

"_Renee! Stop tackling Dawn! And this, Hikaru, is our life on a daily basis._" MJ said casually.

"Hey, is it alright if I ask some questions? The last time we talked, I never got the chance to ask any."

"_Yeah, sure. Go for it._" MJ replied.

He thought for awhile. "Um...what's one romantic thing Rip would want to do with her significant other?"

"_Hold hands. That's so cute._" Dawn answered.

"_I think she would like to hold hands- something that's not too affectionate, but just enough that it's sweet._" Erika said.

"_Hold hands and whatever you do, DON'T try and make out with her in public. She'll kick your ass if you do._" MJ responded.

"Oh...um..." He felt himself get red. "I'll try and remember that..."

"_Yep, public displays of affection are a no-no with Rip._" Dawn said.

"_Holding hands is your best bet with that girl._" MJ replied.

"_Yeah..._" Erika agreed.

"_Pffft, holding hands? I'd say gettin' it ON would be better, but Rip's a prude so it'd probably be something stupid, like talking about video games..._"

"_RENEE!_" the other three shouted.

Hikaru's face felt like it was on fire.

"How old was Rip when she went on her first date?"

"_Oh...um...she hasn't..._" Erika started.

"_I have no idea, bro. I've known her for so long, I've never thought to ask._" came Dawn's voice. "_Can I call you bro?_"

"Bro...uh, I don't care..."

"_'Kay...bro._"

"_Depends on when you ask her._" Renee said.

"So wait, she's never been on a date yet?" he asked. Something about him possibly being her first date made him happy.

"_Not exactly...I mean...well...see, it's not...no, no she hasn't._" MJ replied, stumbling through her answer.

"_You make it sound like a bad thing, bro._"

"Well, she's such a nice person, I would've expected her to have had a few..." There were a few 'Aw's after his answer.

"_Smooth, Mr. Hitachiin, but Rip's kind of old-fashioned, being she wants the guy to make the first move. She's so quiet that guys don't really take notice, so they never asked. Plus, dating guys has never been her top priority._" MJ explained.

"So, she's not the one to make a first move?"

There was a burst of laughter from what sounded to be Renee, then she said, "_Let's be real- Rips would never have the guts to put the moves on a smokin' male, but if you're ugly, we'll see..._"

"Well, I know for a fact that I'm not ugly." Hikaru said.

"_We'll be the judge of that._" Renee retorted.

He couldn't help but grumble, "Geez...whoever ends up with Renee, I feel sorry of them..."

That caused the three to burst into laughter while Renee responded with, "_Excuse me? Any male specimen would be lucky to get with this, except for dark chocolate...I don't do dark chocolate. Or bald...or fat flaps..._"

"_Renee..._" Erika said, sounding embarrassed.

It was quiet for a moment, Hikaru going over all the questions in his mind. The ones he was asking them were more personal than the ones he would ask Ripley. Just the thought of asking her these questions made his face burn and his heart pound. He would never be able to do it. At least they hadn't laughed at him yet. He would probably hang up on them out of embarrassment if they did.

"This may seem stupid, but...never mind. You guys will laugh." he said. God, this question was so mushy.

"_Nope, now you have to say it._" MJ.

"_No, we won't. Trust me; I ask stupid questions all the time._" Dawn.

"_Don't force him guys. If he doesn't want to ask, he doesn't have to._" Erika.

"_No promises._" Renee...

"_Renee, control yourself._" MJ ordered.

"_No one controls Renee, not even herself._" Renee said back. "_Now, back to business. What is your stupid question?_"

"Do you know...um...do you know if Rip thinks...cuddling...is stupid?" Great, he was blushing again.

There was a chorus of 'aw's and one person guffawing, which was Renee. Then, she stopped. "_Oh shit, that's sweet. Shit, my bad._"

There was something like a whimper on the other end and Erika asked, "_Dawn, are you okay? You're tongue's sticking out again._"

"_That...was...so..._"

"_Dawn, BREATHE! Oh my God, I think she's hyperventilating!_" MJ exclaimed. "_Dawn, what's wrong?_"

Great, Dawn was going to die. How was he going to explain this to Ripley?

"_I need a breather... I need to back up and take a breather. That was so damn cute... Oh my gosh...so adorable..._"

"_I need to go check on Dawn. Erika, keep Renee in check!_" MJ ordered.

It was silent. They didn't answer his question. He was waiting for an answer when Renee asked, "_So, just how big is your di-_"

"_Renee! Don't ask him that! That's gross!_" Erika exclaimed. He agreed a hundred percent.

"_Oh please, it's not THAT bad._"

Maybe _he_ needed to step back and take a breather. Renee was too much like Cassidy in her questions and responses.

"_Okay, we're back. Dawn's back to...well, I was going to say normal, but that wouldn't be right._" MJ said.

Thank God she was back to keep things under control.

"Does Rip talk about me?"

"_Not telling..._" MJ.

"_She told me you were a gamer and an artist._" Dawn.

"_Don't worry; nothing bad._" Erika.

He was pleased with all the positive responses, but then Renee had to open her big...fat...mouth.

"_She's told me about some of the dreams she's been having about you...and they make me sweat, even front of the AC._" Click!

Hikaru was left sitting there, gaping at his phone. There was no way she had just said that.

His phone started buzzing again. He shouldn't have answered it. Noise filled his ear immediately, hearing two sets of screams on the other side. Erika spoke, "_I'm so sorry about that, Mr. Hikaru! Renee's inappropriate and a bit of a liar, so don't pay any attention to her!_"

Something like a door creaking open and slamming shut came from the other line. "_What in the world...?_" Ripley was home.

And he hung up immediately.

_Hika, what is she talking about?_

He squeezed the phone between both his hands.

"I can't tell her."

**...\~/...**

He dove into the pool; the sensational feeling of being engulfed by water was amazing. He wished he could just grow gills and fins and never have to resurface. Up top, above the surface, was a world he was so busy coping with, so busy running around in constant confusion, sadness, and anger. Below the water, he felt like nothing could touch him, like the surface was a barrier between him and reality. Down there, there was no one to ask him personal questions, nothing to trigger all the painful memories and fantasies, no places full of emptiness and loneliness. He was finally peaceful, but like all good things, his peace had to end when he ran out of breath and resurfaced.

"So you freaked and hung up?" Syd asked, kicking her feet in the water.

"What exactly am I supposed to tell her? 'Oh, I'm sorry, Ripley, I'm in love with an entirely different woman!' What?"

"Well, you _do _need to tell her that, but not in such a douchebag way." she replied.

Hikaru swam over to the edge where Syd sat. He had been disappointed when she immediately went into his room to shred off her dress and jump into some of his clothes. She didn't however, take her hair down or wash her make-up off. He assumed she would do that later in a shower. Hikaru rested his chin on his folded arms, eyes setting on a group of girls eating dinner at the restaurant across the way. He gave a small salute when they looked over at him, giggling like madwomen. Seriously, why did girls have to _giggle _all the time. He _hated _that word.

"Listen, I'm sorry for being harsh earlier, but-" Syd stopped when Hikaru held up a hand.

"Look, you don't need to apologize. I needed the reality check. Thanks for it."

Syd stared at him. "You're right. I don't need to apologize, you do. You brought up some personal things."

"Yeah...I'm sorry..."

Then, he got this wonderful idea.

He wrapped his arms around Syd's waist and pulled, throwing her into the pool. It took her a few moments to resurface and all Hikaru could do was laugh when she blew water out of her nose, sputtering and coughing, mascara running. She was a mess now and her hair was being pulled out of its elegant bun from before due to the water. Syd frowned, grabbing Hikaru's head, and forcing it under the water. It wasn't until he was flailing his arms out when she released her hold on him, allowing him to come back up.

"What was that for?" Hikaru exclaimed, blowing water out of his nose.

"For about five seconds, you asshole!" Syd yelled back. "What if I couldn't swim?"

"Then I would've pulled you back up!"

Syd pushed him out of the way when she swam back to the edge, pulling herself back up to the concrete.

"Well, I'm going to bed." She turned to him. "And you need to call Ripley. If you don't, I'll feed you to Zag."

**...\~/...**

Hikaru stared at the phone in his hands, frowning. How was he supposed to approach the subject anyways? Maybe he could wait until the morning after letting it settle for awhile. But what if she was really hurt? What if she was silently crying at all the thoughts that could be running through her mind? 'Other woman' was not a vague term; it meant solely that he was interested in a different woman and hadn't been truthful to Ripley. Hikaru grabbed his shirt that rested just above his heart, suddenly feeling heavy in that specific place once more. God, what would he do if he heard that Ripley was seeing someone else? He'd feel...defeated? Was that the word he was looking for? He'd be back to not having an outlet anymore, not having someone allow him opportunities to escape. From his conversation with Ripley's roommates, it was obvious that Ripley hadn't told them what had occurred earlier that day. And he was thankful.

His phone buzzed and his caller I.D. read Ripley.

"Hello?" Did he sound too eager?

"_Hey..._" It killed him that she sounded so sad. Really, _really _killed him. "_I just called to say good night. I'm going to be-_"

"Ripley, I need to explain about earlier. I had no idea that Syd was-"

"_Hikaru, are you really ready to tell me?_"

There was so much he needed to tell her. How for so many years he had been hung up on a girl he couldn't have. How he still loved Haruhi, yet was developing feelings for Ripley herself, leaving him in a confused mess. He wanted to tell her how people are agitating to him and how she was his only escape from reality, how she made him feel calm and relaxed. There was just so much he needed to tell her, but would she be able to handle all his thoughts and confessions? If she couldn't, would _he _be able to put up with hearing that small, weak, hurt voice again? Hikaru would go crazy if he lost Ripley due to his pitiful, pathetic nature. But she was offering him to wait in his explanation and that was such a golden offer. He was afraid of what she'd say, terrified of what she'd do...horrified of falling into that deep, dark hell called loneliness.

He didn't want to go there again.

That'd be the end of him.

"No...I'm not..."

"_Then don't rush yourself. Just...tell me when you're ready, okay?_"

"Thank you, Ripley...thank you _so _much... Are you...alright?"

"_Yeah, I'm fine!_" She was trying to cover up her feelings. She was trying not to worry him. She wasn't alright; she was hurt.

"_Well, I have to go to bed. We had a bunch of calls come in today and weren't able to finish, so-_"

"Wait!" He didn't mean to yell in her ear. "Can you...I want...will you please...no, no you need your sleep."

"_Hika, what is it?_" God, her voice was too much sometimes. The way she said his name was so hard for him to handle.

"Can you..." His face was heating up now. "Can you talk to me for awhile? I like the sound of your voice." Hikaru gasped, covering his mouth. He hadn't meant to say that out loud. "I mean I-I...well, I...I meant, um-"

"_Yeah, I can talk to you for awhile._"

And that's what they did. She told him about finding a dead opossum in a tree they were cutting up, almost hitting it with the chainsaw. She talked about how Quin had to get up on Joey's shoulders to reach a limb and how they both fell backwards onto Mark, she and her dad just laughing hysterically. He found out how she sent in her resignation form to the bookstore she worked at, telling them that she was busy with her dad's business, which was becoming more and more successful. Hikaru kept quiet when she told him about coming home to MJ and Dawn beating the living crap out Renee, claiming that Renee said something inappropriate and unforgivable. He didn't want Ripley to know he was the cause of the ruckus. Then, she and her roommates ordered Little Caesar's pizza and rented movies, Ripley also renting two video games to play over the weekend to come, which she had off (well, excluding the paper route).

"_Hold on to me as we go. As we roll down this unfamiliar road. And although this wave is stringing us along._"

"What are you singing?" he asked.

"_Just know you're not alone 'cause I'm going to make this place your home._"

"It sounds familiar..."

"_Settle down, it'll all be clear. Don't pay no mind to the demons they fill you with fear. The trouble it might drag you down._"

She was ignoring him.

"_You get lost, you can always be found._"

"Ripley~!" he sang, trying to gain her attention.

"_Just know you're not alone 'cause I'm going to make this place your home._"

He just kept quiet now, listening to her sing to him. She did this sometimes and it always ended the same way: she would ignore his cries for attention and keep singing. And they always seemed to be songs that reminded her of him. They always seemed to hit home or remind him of the relationship he had with Ripley.

"_It's Phillip Phillips' song Home. You know, the guy that won American Idol? I thought of you when I heard it on the radio._"

"I figured as much. Just like every other song."

"_Yeah...there's a lot of those, aren't there?_"

"Indeed there are."

"_I guess I just want you to know that I'm here for you._"

"Ripley..."

"_I mean, you seem to have a lot going on in your life right now. I just...I'm here for you if you need anything._"

He didn't know what to say. Well, he did, but...he couldn't say those 'three little words' to her yet.

"_Hika, I have to turn in, okay?_"

"Yeah... I'll talk to you tomorrow some time."

"_Alright. Good night._" Click.

Hikaru stared at his phone longingly, "I wish I could say those three words to you."

* * *

**I am so, SO sorry for my absence. I had a terrible bout of writer's block and I would look at this chapter and go, "FML...I goin' to play Pokepark..." Yes, pathetic; I'm seventeen years old and still have an undying love for Pokemon. -_-' So, this was Syd and Johnny's date, and now that I look back at it, there wasn't really an aftermath to it. I'll probably add a summary of what happened between the two in the next chapter. AH! Chapter 11! The Valentine's Day chapter! You guys are going to love it because there is some definite Hikaley fluff in it. :D Or at least you love it... You also got another look at the Roomies. I hope that part wasn't too confusing. By the way, all four of the Roomies are based off of real people...and they act JUST LIKE THAT in real life, especially Renee. :/ No joke... **

**Question Time: I've been curious throughout this entire fanfic, but what kind physical and personality traits d you guys like in female OCs? What kind do you hate? **

**Author's Note - Fin**


	11. Quick! Pose! Noodles!

**Step 11:**

**Quick! Pose! And Don't Let The Noodles Burn!**

**...\~/...**

**February 14th, 11:34 A.M.:**

He woke up at five thirty in the morning..._alone._

He walked around New York City in the chilly February air..._alone._

He sat in Central Park, watching other early risers walk hand-in-hand..._alone._

Now, he was lying on his couch, trying to smother himself with a throw pillow...you guessed it, _alone._

Valentine's Day, Hikaru's most hated holiday. It was _the _holiday where couples liked to strut around and flaunt what they have and singles don't. It was the time for hearts (his throbbed with pain and felt as cold as ice right now), that gaudy color called pink (seriously, if not used right, it could clash with _anything_), and that fatass cherub, Cupid, who made Hikaru want to grab that chubby bastard's bow and arrow and shove it up Cupid's naked ass. Valentine's Day was the "joyous" occasion where singles withered in their loneliness, sending themselves candy grams and flowers. Hikaru made a note to ignore the open half-eaten box of chocolates sitting on the coffee table _and _he was trying to ignore the memory of him walking into the convenient store, buying that heart-shaped box of chocolates..._for himself. _

Valentine's Day. The day where an average amount of seventy-two million Valentine's cards are purchased, especially from parents. Now, Hikaru didn't know if those parents gave each other the cards or the loving messages were meant to be pick-me-ups for their desperate, lonely children, but he knew that the greeting card _his _parents sent him was meant to be a pick-me-up. However, its "kind" and "loving" message, telling him that despite the fact his sour and bitter personality was the reason he was still single, they still wished him a Happy Valentine's Day. In his opinion, lovey-dovey cards were a lame attempt at expressing affection. He'd much rather splurge his money on diamonds and rubies for his significant other. Then, he would be able to contribute to the collective amount of four point one billion that's spent on Valentine's Day...but he was single, so he couldn't contribute. It made him smile, though, that he wasn't the _only _one out there that was having a horrible day. According to statistics, there was a forty percent increased rate in the requests in divorce lawyers, and seventy percent of singles admitted that they'd like to go on a blind date, probably because they were full with pain as well.

"Silly brother, you shouldn't suffocate yourself on Valentine's Day." a voice said with a slight rasp.

Great, now he was going crazy, hearing Kaoru's adorable voice.

Hikaru looked up, gasping. "Kaoru!"

"The one and only." his brother said with a small laugh.

Hikaru jumped from the couch, literally jumping into Kaoru's arms. The younger twin laughed, wrapping his arms around Hikaru, pulling him close. He knew far too well how his older brother felt about Valentine's Day. He could never forget Hikaru's long rants that he would do in high school. Kaoru had experienced being with a girlfriend on February fourteenth; Hikaru hadn't yet and Kaoru knew he had always been a bit jealous of that fact.

"I'm so happy you're here..." Hikaru whispered, his arms around Kaoru tightening.

"I know you are, but..."

"But what?"

Hikaru answered his own question _and _figured out what Kaoru was going to say. He looked over Kaoru's shoulder and immediately grimaced at what he saw. Clarisse De La Fontaine. Better known as Kaoru's whiney, dependant, demanding girlfriend. Her platinum blonde hair seemed to flow around her, icy blue eyes narrowed directly at Hikaru, and her painted talons bit into her arm as she tried to contain her obvious anger. Anybody with common sense could see there was something of a rivalry between her and Hikaru, usually competing for Kaoru's affection. Hikaru felt his ego swell when he reminded himself that he usually won Kaoru's attention on their visits.

"Ew..._you're _here." Hikaru hissed.

Clarisse arched a perfect, slender eyebrow. "In ze flesh."

Kaoru pulled away, looking between the two. "Please, guys, don't fight."

"We're not fighting, Kaoru; we're greeting each other." Hikaru replied, glaring into Clarisse's piercing gaze.

The younger twin tried to ignore his brother and girlfriend's stare-down and turned towards Hikaru. "Have you eaten yet?"

"No."

"What? No? Hikaru, you're already skin and bones! You need to eat something!"

"Actually, I did have chocolate."

Clarisse gave an airy laugh, covering her painted lips with her hand daintily. "Aw, did ze poor, poor 'ikaru 'ave no candy gram? No one likes 'im so 'e 'ad to buy 'imself chocolates." She laughed again, but Hikaru knew that behind that hand of hers was a malevolent grin. "All alone on Valentine's Day's must be very depressing." Clarisse snickered, picking up the box of chocolates and examining it. "Zey are not even good quality. Being rich, I expected better..."

Hikaru frowned and glared at her, "But I'm not alone."

Clarisse arched a perfect, slender eyebrow, "Oh really? I do not see anybody 'ere..." she said, gesturing towards the empty apartment.

"That's because she lives in a different state. Her name's Ripley."

Kaoru tilted his head to the side, "You guys are dating?" Hikaru saw hurt flash in Kaoru's eyes at the news. He knew he kept his little brother in the dark about most things, especially when it came to his relationship with Ripley. Now that he thought about it, he had grown kind of distant from his brother, but whenever he had turned to Kaoru for advice, his twin always gave him responses he didn't like, responses he couldn't handle. So, it wasn't a surprise seeing Kaoru look shocked after claiming that he was dating Ripley (which he wasn't). Still, though, it hurt Hikaru just as much to see his precious little brother upset. He'd make sure to tell him later. However, that was going to be a difficult feat since Clarisse clung to Kaoru's arm like a vice, so getting alone time with Kaoru was going to be quite the battle.

"...yes...yes, we are. We have been for about a week now." He was trying so hard to not blurt out the truth now.

He hated lying to Kaoru, especially when his brother gave him those watery, puppy dog eyes.

"Oh..." Kaoru muttered, casting his gaze down. "Do you still want me to make you breakfast?" he asked quietly.

Hikaru felt his heart jolt when Kaoru gave him a sad look.

He never broke his stare on Kaoru when he replied, "Uh, yeah, sure. I'd like that."

**...\~/...**

"You should've worn an apron."

"Why should 'e 'ave worn an apron?"

"Because he would've looked adorable in one."

"Your relationship with 'im ees a little...worrisome..."

Hikaru glared at her from across the island table, arms folded on the tabletop in front of him. He didn't like the way Clarisse was dragging her gaze up and down on his brother's body; her ogling was disgusting and made him want to reach other and strike her across the back of the head. Clarisse had the uncanny ability of making his aggressive side come out, but he didn't lay a hand on her because she was important to his baby brother and he had to acknowledge that, no matter how hard it was to do so. The woman didn't even notice his narrowed look. What did Kaoru see in Clarisse anyway? Ripley had said that men who go after women like Clarisse usually have experienced some good in those women and ignore all their bad traits just so they can relish in the occasional good trait. Ripley had mentioned that her father was in a similar relationship and that Quin had been in one, but he had broken it off when she, Joey, and Mark nagged him to. But what about Clarisse would be considered good?

"...Valentine's Day?" came Kaoru's voice.

Hikaru shook his head, ridding his mind of thoughts. "Huh, can you repeat that?"

Kaoru looked over his shoulder, "Have you told Ripley a Happy Valentine's Day?"

"Oh, uh, no...no, I haven't."

The younger twin pointed his spatula at Hikaru accusingly, "Hikaru, wishing your girlfriend a Happy Valentine's Day is mandatory!" A plate of food was then slid in front of Hikaru. Kaoru noted the faint blush that dusted across his brother's cheeks. The red-haired twin sent a small smile in his older brother's direction; Hikaru probably wasn't used to having Ripley referred to as his girlfriend yet. Kaoru couldn't help but poke his bashful twin's cheek, which caused the older to look up at him.

"What?" Hikaru mumbled, his mouth full.

"Nothing. I just think it's cute how you're so shy when it comes to Ripley."

"Mmm...I'm not shy..."

Kaoru gave a small laugh, "Okay, Hikaru; whatever you say!"

Hikaru ignored the fact that Kaoru was still staring at him with that goofy smile of his and tore off a bit of toast with his teeth. He had to wonder how Ripley felt about Valentine's Day. Did she have a similar hatred towards the holiday or did she enjoy seeing everyone else happy with their significant other? Hikaru rested his cheek into the palm of his hand, chewing thoughtfully. He wished there was something he could do for her, like take her out on a date or something, but that would require them to actually meet first. When they did meet though, where in the world would he take her? He guessed he could take her on a tour of New York City and take her to either his favorite café or Alexander's Café. Or was Ripley more of the dinner-and-a-movie type? She seemed like the kind of person that would rather experience new things, rather then sit around and watch a movie.

"Sometimes I wish she wasn't so far away." Hikaru muttered quietly, but Kaoru still heard him.

"She probably feels the same about you. Have you two talked about when you're going to meet?"

"She can't afford it. She's trying to save up money so she can come over."

"Well, why don't you just send her a plane ticket?"

"She doesn't like it when I spend money on her. I do it anyway."

Hikaru could feel Clarisse's scrutinizing gaze on him. "What?" he snapped at her.

"She ees probably 'ideous."

Kaoru gave a scolding "Clarisse!" and Hikaru growled at her. "That's it!" Hikaru shouted, trying to jump over the island table and grab Clarisse so he could claw her eyes out. Kaoru wrapped his arms tightly about the other man's waist, restraining Hikaru from attacking his blonde girlfriend. The blonde woman had backed away with heels clacking, a devious smirk set upon her plump lips. There was a fire in Hikaru's eyes as he squirmed in Kaoru's hold and the ash-haired man clawed at the air, desperately wanting to land a few hits on her.

"Hikaru, calm down! She's just kidding!"

"Let me go, Kaoru! I'm gonna kill her!"

"That's my girlfriend you're talking about! Leave her alone!" Kaoru exclaimed, his voice cracking a bit.

"But she made fun of mine! I don't care if she beats me around, but she has to leave Ripley out of it!"

Kaoru could feel Hikaru settle down to where he wasn't thrashing in his grasp anymore, but he wouldn't dare let go until Hikaru's heavy breathing stopped. He had to admit that Clarisse had been harsh in her words and he would talk to her later about it, but calming down Hikaru was his first priority. Kaoru sighed, his warm breath hitting the nape of Hikaru's neck. He knew it was a bad idea to bring Clarisse along, but he had gotten a headache when she had whined in his ear the whole day before. The younger twin glanced over Hikaru's shoulder, laying his golden eyes on Clarisse. She was flicking her tongue out on her ruby red lips; cold, icy eyes were nothing but slits. Her appearance at the moment reminded him of a snake, forked tongue slithering in and out.

Then, he got an idea.

"Clarisse, I'll give you my card and you can go shopping, okay?" Eh, it was the best he could come up with.

"Slide ze card over to me."

"I can't. If I let go of him, he'll come after you. Come get my wallet."

Clarisse hesitated before gliding over, approaching the two men. She eyed Hikaru's loose arms, causing Kaoru to rewrap his arms around Hikaru, pinning his brother's arms to his sides. Kaoru watched carefully, noticing the death glares the two were giving each other. He felt Clarisse's hand slip into his back pocket, pulling out his wallet, and fishing through it to retrieve his credit card. Kaoru had been so focused on Clarisse, that he hardly noticed Hikaru wiggle one of his arms out.

"I will be back een- AH!"

Suddenly, Hikaru's fist landed on Clarisse's shoulder, causing both Kaoru and the woman to gasp in surprise. A pained yell came from the blonde and she grabbed her shoulder. Pain throbbed through her shoulder and upper arm. Hikaru had really landed a hit. His glare was deadly and full of hate, his smirk could match hers in malevolence.

"That's for degrading my girl." he growled.

Clarisse narrowed her gaze, marching up to Hikaru, and running her hand across his face. A searing pain spread through his cheek and jaw, her nails scraping against his skin. His hand instinctively went up to his injured cheek, pulling it back. Blood...his fingertips were covered in blood. He could feel Kaoru's arms slip from around his waist. Hikaru watched as Clarisse looked hopeful when Kaoru came towards her, but he turned immediately towards Hikaru, grabbing his chin, inspecting his scratched up cheek. Hikaru couldn't help but feel overjoyed when Clarisse's face fell from hopeful to severely disappointed.

"You shouldn't hit girls." Kaoru scolded, looking over the three gashes that were embedded in Hikaru's face.

"She's not a girl; she's the devil." Hikaru retorted.

Kaoru's hands fell and he turned towards Clarisse. "How's your shoulder?" he asked softly, touching her covered shoulder tenderly.

"Eet ees fine." she replied curtly, nudging his hand away. Kaoru looked rejected due to her action."Peecking your brother over me..." And she left, glaring at the both of them while she clacked away. Kaoru stared at the door, feeling a bit sad. Then, he felt the weight of his brother lean up against him from behind, Hikaru's arms wrapping around his neck. His brother's nose buried itself into Kaoru's red hair, taking a deep, soothing breath.

"Can you help me clean up my cheek?" Hikaru asked.

"Of course, Hikaru."

"Then, do you want to meet Ripley?"

Kaoru, of course, said yes.

**...\~/...**

"Stop staring; it doesn't hurt." That was a lie.

"Then why did you cringe every time I touched it?"

"It. Doesn't. Hurt." It hurt like hell.

"Whatever you say, Hikaru."

They were sitting on the floor, their backs pressed against the couch. Hikaru had just dialed up Ripley when Kaoru started questioning about his wound. There was a reason why Hikaru always referred to Clarisse's nails as talons. While the phone rang, Hikaru had to wonder what the Roomies were up to. Maybe they were all out on dates? Then, a thought occurred to him that made his stomach flip: what if _Ripley _found herself a date? They weren't dating, so they were both free to roam around and accept dates if asked out on one. His imagination went to work, his mind putting forth a vision of another man, not too attractive and not too ugly, strutting up to Ripley, asking her out on a night on the town. Then, she accepted, telling him yes in that adorable voice of hers. Oh God, what if the guy was bold and went in for the kiss, HER FIRST KISS! The thought made him grit his teeth. Goddamn make-believe bastard; Hikaru would kick him in the groin if he were real.

"_What's up, Hikaru?_"

He had been expecting Ripley, but, "MJ, you need to stop answering Ripley's phone. I'd call your phone if I wanted to talk to you."

"_Fine then, asshole._" He couldn't tell if MJ was kidding or if she were serious.

Suddenly, over the phone, there was a crash, then another, and another. Then, there were yells, followed shortly by someone pleading and taunting laughter. Kaoru looked at Hikaru in curiosity, cocking his head to the side. "What's going on?" he questioned. Hikaru shrugged, looking like this happened all the time, which really, it did. There was always something going on at that apartment. Well, there _was _five girls living there, all with very different personalities... It got _especially _chaotic when the Demonic Brothers made their appearance, which happened the last time he called, and listened to MJ's commentary on Ripley rough-housing with her brothers. Then, he had been cussed out by the three brothers, who had not forgotten the 'other woman' incident. "Yeah, MJ, what's going on there?" Hikaru asked.

"_Well, asshole..._" She paused for a second. Maybe she wasn't kidding... "_Ripley's on a tirade._"

"And you say it so casually."

"_Well, Ripley going on a tantrum is an annual thing on Valentine's Day, so I'm used to it._"

"I'm assuming she doesn't like Valentine's Day either?"

"_Doesn't like? She despises it._" MJ turned away from the phone to yell, "_Ripley, I swear to God, if you break one more-_" CRASH! Hikaru grimaced; this was a wonderful first impression for Kaoru. Judging by his brother's straight face, he probably thought Ripley and the Roomies were crazy. In the background, Hikaru could hear heavy metal music blasting from the stereo speakers, more crashes followed by thuds and thumps, as well as Ripley's yells (her voice always got a bit high-pitched when she got angry) and what seemed to be Renee's taunts. Then, Ripley's voice got close to the phone, "_I hate Valentine's Day! It's a revolting holiday for sick, twisted people to walk around with their snide looks. You want to know something? Mark, that goddamn asshole, asked me if I wanted to meet his date for tonight! Who would want to date Mark, of all people? And I ran into Katie Bomber today and she's like, 'So, are you married yet?' and before I could answer, she held out her hand and she had a diamond ring. She said, 'My boyfriend proposed to me today! Can you believe it?' Do you know how much I wanted to throw my shopping cart at her face? Really fuckin' bad, that's how! Even that creepy gay guy from high school has a boyfriend! I would know because I saw him at Wal-mart today! And-_"

"_Rip, calm down! Just forget it's Valentine's Day!_" Dawn exclaimed, interrupting Ripley.

"_Don't tell me to calm down! I hate it when people tell me to calm down! Just let me...ARGH!_"

CRASH!

"Hey, Kaoru, she isn't usually like-" That's when he noticed his brother shaking. "What are you...?"

Kaoru broke into hysterical laughter. He held his stomach while he threw his head back, his whole body shaking from laughter. This time, it was Hikaru's turn to be confused. His brother's laugh matched his voice, slightly higher-pitched than his own voice with a rasp to it. It almost sounded like a laugh that would belong to a child instead of a grown man. There were tears in his eyes by the time he calmed down, wiping them away with a finger.

"What's so funny?" Hikaru asked in a flat voice.

"It's just...she sounds so much like you..." he answered, a little laugh thrown in his reply.

Hikaru didn't get a chance to answer when Erika asked, "_Who was that?_"

"Oh, that was Kaoru, my twin brother. He came for a visit." Hikaru looked over at Kaoru. "Say hi."

Kaoru looked at the phone, unsure on what to say. He couldn't help but find the crashes in the background funny.

"Um...hi...I'm Kaoru..."

Then, things got silent after a single crash. For a moment there, Hikaru thought he lost connection until the phone burst with sound.

"_SO CUTE!_" three of the five on the other line squealed, another crash following after. Then there was a thud, like someone diving on the floor. "_Oh my God, Kaoru, you have such an adorable voice! Say something else! Please?_" Hikaru bit his tongue when he heard Ripley so excited. Had she ever sounded that excited with him? Thinking back to all the times she'd talked to him, he couldn't remember a time when she sounded so...so eager... He eyed Kaoru, taking in the smile that graced his brother's light-skinned face. "_Hey, Dawn, he sounds like that one voice actor...ya know, the one that does that really cute, childish voice!_"

"Thanks, guys. I have to say, though; that's the first time I've ever gotten a compliment like that!"

Hikaru heard Ripley, Dawn, and Erika 'awww' again. So, Ripley liked the cute voices, huh?

Kaoru didn't hesitate in egging the girls on, saying things that caused them to squeal in delight. They asked him questions, like whether or not he liked being a fashion designer or if he had a girlfriend. It bothered him deeply that Ripley had asked the girlfriend question. Hikaru was pretty confident that she didn't mean anything by it, but it bothered him still. "_She's so lucky!_" 'She' meaning Clarisse. "_Getting to hear that cute voice all the time! I would be in heaven if I got to wake up to that every day!_" Dawn exclaimed into the phone. Kaoru laughed, replying, "I don't think Clarisse is into voices like you guys." It wasn't that long until MJ started asking questions and Renee seemed to not insult him as badly as she had with Hikaru himself. It sort of peeved him that they treated Kaoru differently from him; none of them had been that excited to hear from him, _ever. _And the way Ripley was gushing and cooing over him, something she had _never _done with him, and he had always wanted her to dote on him.

Then, Kaoru said, "They just met me and they _already _love me." Hikaru knew he meant it as a joke.

"Yeah...they _sure _do." he mumbled, casting his eyes downward.

Uh oh, Kaoru knew that tone of voice better than anyone else. It was that tone of voice that told him that Hikaru was getting angry, possibly jealous since this had something to do with Ripley. It was that same tone of voice that Hikaru had used so many years before in Karuizawa when he had lashed out at Haruhi and Arai. He knew what was going to happen next: Hikaru was going to make a fool of himself and lose control of his mouth.

"Hikaru..._don't_..." Kaoru warned, his voice low.

Hikaru stood up, bangs shielding his golden eyes.

"Well, if she loves you so much, why doesn't Ripley go after you instead!"

And he made a mad dash to his room, a door slamming shut behind him.

It was quiet on both sides of the line, but then Kaoru sighed. Even though his brother had aged, he was still so childish...

"_What the hell is wrong with him?_" MJ asked sharply.

Kaoru gave a weak smile, "Hikaru...well...he was hurt by someone a long time ago and he's still wounded by it. Because of that, he's even more afraid that people he cares about will be taken away from him, but even before, when we were kids, he was like that. Hikaru's always been possessive and gets jealous easily...sometimes _too _easily. So," Kaoru cast his gaze downward. "If Hikaru ever lashes out, please don't take it offensively. He just...doesn't know how to control his emotions very well and shows them rather rudely."

"_Should I talk to him?_" Ripley asked.

"Erm...no. He may say hurtful things, so let me talk to him, okay?"

"_Yeah...alright. I didn't want to make him mad._"

"He's also hot-headed. Anything can happen..." Kaoru chuckled. "So, talk to you guys later maybe?"

After they all agreed, Kaoru pressed the 'end call' option, and went off in Hikaru's direction.

**...\~/...**

Hikaru was trying to suffocate himself again.

When Kaoru opened the door, he sighed at the sight of his brother laying on the bed, face pressed firmly in his pillow. He was _such _a child... The red-haired twin fell to his knees beside the bed, reaching out to poke Hikaru in the shoulder. He didn't get a reaction, so he poked him again. This time, he got the twitch of Hikaru's shoulder, trying to shove off his poking. But his face still didn't leave the pillow. That's when Kaoru grabbed Hikaru's shoulder, shaking him. "Hikaru...Hikaru, come on..._Hikaru..._" He could hear his own voice crack when he pleaded Hikaru to turn his attention on him. "_Hikaru...please..._"

Then, there was a muffling sound coming from his brother.

Kaoru arched an eyebrow, "What? Hikaru, I can't hear you."

He watched as the older man lifted his face about an inch off the pillow so he could say, "I'm trying to die." Then, dropped his face back into the pillow. Kaoru inhaled and exhaled, trying to keep his own anger under control. He knew that if he lashed out, Hikaru would bounce back harder, probably even get aggressive. He was sad to admit that his brother had developed more violent thoughts over the years, even sometimes going to the extreme of being physical, as shown before with Clarisse.

Kaoru crawled up onto the bed, grabbing both of Hikaru's shoulders this time, shaking him frantically.

"Hikaru, you're scaring me!"

No response.

"Hikaru, come on! Don't do anything stupid!"

The older brother was still for a moment before lifting his face off his pillow once more. "Does 'stupid' really mean 'suicidal'?"

"W-what?" Hikaru couldn't ignore the fearful undertone in Kaoru's trembling voice. "H-Hikaru, what are you talking about?"

Hikaru flipped over onto his back, resting his head back. Kaoru was sitting with his legs folded under him, arms hanging at his sides again. "The last time Syd was here, she said that everyone was scared that I'd do something stupid, stupid being suicidal. Do you really think I'd...kill myself?" Kaoru's eyebrows knitted together, diverting his gaze away from Hikaru's when his brother looked up at him with questioning eyes. "Kaoru...?"

"Well, I...you're so sad and...angry... I don't know what's going through your mind."

Hikaru kept quiet.

"You always keep me in the dark. We're twins, Hika; we're supposed to tell each other everything, aren't we?"

It hurt his heart to see Kaoru so upset.

"I'm always so worried that I'll get a call...saying...that..."

Hikaru reached up and grabbed Kaoru, bringing him down onto the bed when tears started spilling over his brother's wide, watery eyes. He could feel Kaoru grab onto his shirt, burying his face into the crook of his neck. Hikaru tightened his hold on him, bringing a hand up to stroke his brother's red hair. Kaoru's whole body trembled with every sob that he let escape. Oh God, this killed him. Seeing Kaoru this terrified, and it was all because of him. He really needed to get his head on straight, he needed to get his priorities in check...he just needed to _grow up. _Everyone else had moved on, but he was stuck in the past.

He wished everything would go back to normal..._before Haruhi. _

"H-Hikaru..." Kaoru hiccupped, but Hikaru shushed him gently, combing his fingers through Kaoru's bangs.

"I'm not going anywhere. Kaoru, I would _never _leave you behind." And that was the truth.

He wanted to distract his sobbing brother from serious matters.

"How's Ageha? I haven't called her in forever." Hikaru whispered into his brother's ear.

Kaoru sniffled, "She's doing fine. She'll be starting kindergarten in the fall."

"That's good to hear. Has she lightened up some?"

"No. She's still like us..."

"That's...not as good to hear."

Kaoru shook in his grasp, but this time it was from laughter, not crying. "No! No it isn't!"

He grinned into Kaoru's hair, pressing his lips against his brother's temple.

Then, an idea popped in his head.

"I think I have an idea on how to make Ripley's Valentine's Day a little bit better."

**...\~/...**

The tea kettle screeched, steam billowing out of the spout. Hikaru quickly turned off the stove, snatching the kettle off the hotspot, setting it on a cooler one. He retrieved two teacups from the cupboard, setting them on the counter, and poured each to the brim with amber-colored liquid. He turned to Kaoru, who was sitting at the island table, taking into his phone. There was a box of tissues sitting beside him for easy access. Kaoru had called Clarisse to check up on her since it had been a couple hours since she stormed out with his credit card.

"Clarisse, I'm not saying you _can't _buy anything, just... No! That's not what I meant!"

It was quiet for a moment on Kaoru's side; Hikaru could hear Clarisse's high-pitched yelling on the other end when he slid a teacup in front of Kaoru. Sometimes, Hikaru was glad he was single; he didn't have to put up with the constant nagging or false, totally wild accusations. Or maybe that's just what Kaoru had to put up with. And now, as Hikaru slid onto the stool across from Kaoru, and took a sip of his tea, he had to wonder what kind of girlfriend Ripley would be. She seemed to be the type that didn't demand much of anything, instead either waiting for it or getting her hands on it herself, and she seemed to not be the accusing type.

"A tramp? Clarisse, I would never-! What do you mean I'm pathetic? Just because I'm rich, doesn't mean I can't be frugal!"

Hikaru remembered when he and Kaoru would flaunt their wealth around, buying whatever they wanted whenever they liked. They had never been frugal growing up, but now that they were older, and even if they were set for life, they had figured out that frugality wasn't a bad thing. It was strange comparing his older self to his younger self. His younger self would've jumped all over the chance of getting a new car, but now his older self couldn't even think of himself going anywhere without walking. His younger self wouldn't wait for discounts, deals, or for things to drop in price; now he did. Hikaru looked at Kaoru, watching him try to defend himself against Clarisse, and he realized that Kaoru was going places, having his name already squealed by people, and he himself wasn't going anywhere. He was working to be game designer, but was that really what he wanted?

"I'm not cheap! I just want to buy necessities, not blow my money on things we don't need! Yeah? Well, you're a...uh...whatever!"

The younger twin's head cocked to the side, listening intently.

"Yeah, yeah, fine. Whatever. See you at the photo shoot."

Kaoru mashed his thumb against his phone, giving a sigh while letting his head fall into his arms. Hikaru reached over and patted his arm comfortingly, causing Kaoru to lift his head up, golden orbs staring into his own.

"You're so lucky your girlfriend doesn't do that."

"I don't have a girlfriend." Didn't he say he was going to tell Kaoru later?

"But I- Ripley, though...she's your girlfriend."

Hikaru shook his head. "I only said that to get the she-devil off my back."

Kaoru just stared at him with a blank expression, then said, "That's perfectly understandable."

"Now, what's this about a photo shoot?"

The red-head perked up, "Oh, I forgot to tell you! One of the reasons I'm here is because there's a photo shoot going on for my Men's Spring Collection. I was going to invite you to be a model, but you don't have to if you don't want to. I just thought it would give you something to do."

"Yeah, I'll do it, but I want something out of it."

"That grin of yours tells me you have something devious in mind."

"Well, let's just say that Ripley's friend is a major twincest lover." Hikaru said, his grin becoming more and more evil.

Now, Kaoru was wearing a similar one. "And you want to call and give a twincest session over the phone?"

"Oh, Kaoru!" Hikaru exclaimed, grabbing onto Kaoru's hands.

"H-Hikaru!" Kaoru cried out, squeezing his brother's hands in return.

The gleam in their eyes was mischievous and they both snickered, grins equally devilish.

**...\~/...**

"_So, you want to do twincest over the phone?" _Ripley asked.

"Yeah, put the phone on speaker phone and call everyone in."

She did just that and that's when the games began.

"Hikaru, I want to talk to Ripley, too! Please- a-ah!" Kaoru begged.

"Now, now, Kaoru; you know what the punishment is for being grabby, hm?" he asked, trying to make his voice as husky as possible.

Over the phone, Dawn was doing her screaming outburst. He could only imagine her reaching for the phone, tongue sticking out like it was always seemed to do when she talked to him. He could only smirk inwardly as the other four laughed. But here was what would really get her squealing: "Do I need to remind you about what happened last night when you wouldn't stop grabbing me in bed?"

"_Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, OH MY GOSH! I TOLD you they went all the way! Rip, your lover has done twincest!_"

"_We're not lovers!_" Ripley retorted. He tried to ignore the pang of pain he felt when she said that and fixated his attention on Kaoru.

"Hikaru, don't say that! W-wait, H-Hikaru! Please, stop grabbing me there! That's-!"

"So, you can be grabby, but I can't? That's not fair, Kaoru."

There was silence until MJ said, "_Wow, you really pulled a number on her._" In the background, he could hear Erika say, "_Dawn, hello? Dawn, wake up! She fainted..._" and Renee responding, "_Holy shit! They killed her!_"

"_Wow, nice job, guys. You really-_" Ripley started, but Hikaru interrupted her.

"Hey, Rip, let me talk to MJ real quick."

"_Oh...um...okay..._"

"_Oh, so now you want to talk to me?_" Okay, she _had _to be joking. He'd ask Ripley for advice on how to decipher MJ's sarcasm.

"Look, I need your help on something."

"_Yes?_"

"I want to take Ripley out on a date...well, metaphorically speaking."

**...\~/...**

Clarisse had taken the rental car, so they had no choice but to walk over to the studio that the photo shoot was being held in. On the way over, it was a perfect time to catch up, since they hadn't had the chance to do so yet. Hikaru learned that unlike he and his twin who had inherited their mother's eye for fashion, Ageha had inherited their father's computer whiz genes and basically grimaced at the sight of anything fashionable. Kaoru had mentioned that it had broken his heart when Ageha no longer liked dresses; he had been planning on starting a kids line and had been planning on using Ageha as his personal mannequin. Kaoru told him about the time when he finally met Clarisse's parents, who were the exact opposite of his girlfriend. And then he talked about how he, Tamaki, and Haruhi made a habit of having lunch together every week, and that he had developed a love for making ceramic pottery on his days off.

"Hey, I'm getting pretty good at it! I can actually mold the clay into a bowl...shaped...blob thing..." Kaoru said excitedly.

"Mmm..." Hikaru replied, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"Is something on your mind?" Kaoru asked.

"How is she?"

Kaoru immediately knew who Hikaru was referring to.

"Haruhi's doing fine. She won a case the other day and she's taking more classes. She and Tama-"

"Does she ever..." He trailed off, a familiar heaviness washing over his body. This was the same heaviness he had felt when Haruhi rejected him all those years ago, and that same annoying weight that he had felt every time Haruhi and Tamaki did anything romantic in front of him. They had shared kisses, had held hands when they walked in front of him, wrapping their arms around each other during movies that they went to go see; the list of things that they did that bothered him was endless, but the number one thing that bothered him was that Haruhi fell for Tamaki. "Does she ever...ask about me?"

Kaoru's gaze softened, "All the time. You should call her sometime. She'd be happy if you did."

"Yeah... I might do that..."

"Maybe you should do that today."

"Ha, no. Today...it's about me and Ripley, just us. I want to make this Valentine's Day special for her."

Kaoru smiled warmly, "I'm sure she'll love that." Another thought popped into his head as they passed Bob and Ted's Car Repair and Restoration. "Hey, did you see Syd's Facebook? Her relationship status went from 'single' to 'in a relationship'. I wonder what her boyfriend's like? Probably someone that looks like a gorilla." Hikaru grabbed Kaoru's shoulder, stopping him in his tracks. Then, he pointed inside the auto-shop. Kaoru followed his finger, laying his eyes on a handsome man with slicked back brown hair.

"That's Johnny Summers, Syd's boyfriend." Hikaru informed.

"No way," Kaoru muttered. "He's...uh...ruggedly handsome, isn't he?"

"Yeah, I guess..."

They continued walking, avoiding rude couples that didn't break their grasp on each other and would rather walk right into people than walk around. Hikaru "accidentally" kicked a guy's shin when he saw he and his girlfriend making out on a park bench. He also "inadvertently" bumped shoulders with a girl who was groping her boyfriend's ass and "unintentionally" stuck gum on the back of some pervert's neck, finding great pleasure in the way the girl he was hitting on grimaced and walked away. He was like Cupid's evil clone, who loved to wreck love rather than help it.

"How would you describe your relationship with Ripley exactly?" Kaoru asked, out of the blue.

Hikaru's eyebrows scrunched together. "Um...a unique one?"

"Not what I was hoping to hear, but what I really want to know is whether or not you like this woman?"

"Of course I like Ripley."

"Like or like _like__?_"

"What? Are you five or somethin'? What next: you're going to tell me to stay away from her because she might have cooties?"

"_Nooo. _I just wasn't sure if you meant you liked her as a friend or if you liked her as a potential girlfriend."

"Fine. I like _like _her."

Kaoru's smile became bigger. "Well, that's good! You're on your way to moving on!"

"...I guess I am."

Those were four words he thought he'd never hear himself say.

**...\~/...**

The moment they walked into the studio, they were surrounded by make-up artists, Kaoru's designer assistants, and fangirls of Kaoru's, who all had been equally awed by Hikaru. He loved how he could still capture the hearts of girls with one narrowed glance, despite the fact that he had heavy, dark bags under his tired-looking golden orbs, and his very noticeable loss in weight. When he and Kaoru were changing in their room, he couldn't help but look over his brother's half naked body. It was unusual to see them so different; Kaoru had gained some weight, making him look fuller and it looked like he had also been working out since Kaoru had begun to obtain the faint outline of a six-pack and defined pecs. And Kaoru still had that lively disposition to him, which seemed to be very attractive to the ladies. Hikaru couldn't help but pout; Kaoru's fangirls, after experiencing Hikaru's sourpuss attitude, had all backed away and went off to flock Kaoru.

Who needed fangirls anyways?

"Mr. Hitachiin, I need to touch up your make-up real quick." a young woman said, coming up from the side.

"Oh, uh, okay."

Kaoru's assistant dabbed her pinky into some concealer, smoothing it out over the bags under his eyes. She was very concentrated as she applied more and more touch-ups, never blushing, but he assumed she was used to good-looking models. He and Kaoru weren't the only models that were working today; there were several others, all much more muscular and taller than he and his brother. There was even an Italian model getting his clothes straightened by a different assistant. Hikaru remembered Ripley telling him that she had dreamed of getting an Italian man in her life, so Hikaru immediately declared this man as his love rival, even if he had no idea who Ripley was.

"Looking good, Hika. You always were able to pull off salmon, though." Kaoru complimented.

Hikaru turned to his side, examining himself in a full-body mirror. Kaoru has chosen an outfit for him that composed of a black blazer with matching black pants, a salmon-colored dress shirt, a see-through black scarf, and glossy dress shoes. Kaoru was standing there in a white, short-sleeved button-up underneath a silver vest that was decorated with faint white, diagonal lines, white pants, and grey loafers. His wrists were decorated with brown and black wristbands.

"And to you, too, Kao." Hikaru replied, straightening his blazer.

Kaoru stood on his tip-toes, looking over the many heads in the room. "I wonder where Clarisse is? I told her we'd be back here."

Hikaru could only think of Clarisse straddling the lap of another model, shoving her tongue down his throat.

Why did Kaoru have to put up with her? Why couldn't he go out and find a good girlfriend?

Hikaru frowned, unbuttoning three buttons so that his creamy throat could be exposed.

Whoever Kaoru _did _end up with was going to have to work hard for _his _approval, though.

"Mr. Hitachiin and Mr. Hitachiin, you've been called." a photographer called from the door.

Kaoru grabbed Hikaru's shoulder, "And let the show begin!"

**...\~/...**

Girls were ushered to the back of the room, Kaoru's many assistants asking them to hush down while the photo shoot was under way. But when he and Kaoru entered the room, all the girls couldn't help but squeal in delight. The twins had always been known throughout the fashion world, even when they were kids. Having a fashion designer for a mom did that to you. Hikaru and Kaoru's first pose was a simple stand back-to-back, crossing their arms for added effect. The lights that shined down and around them bothered his eyes, which were accustomed to his usual dark apartment. Kaoru seemed used to it, but of course he was; he modeled his own clothes all the time. The second pose was one of him putting his arm around Kaoru's shoulders, his other hand rested on his hip, and Kaoru had his arms crossed loosely near his waist; Hikaru was told to grin and Kaoru was instructed to give a small, warm smile. Photographers kneeled and stood around them, cameras flashing. Every flash made him wince, causing the cameramen to get frustrated and have to repeat the process.

They got a minute to speak.

"Hikaru, are you okay? You keep jumping a lot."

"No, I'm fine." When Kaoru gave him a doubtful look, Hikaru reassured, "Seriously, I'm fine."

"Alright... But if you want to take a break, just tell me, okay?"

"Yeah, fine."

Third pose. Hikaru was told to slip off his blazer and hold it over his shoulder while Kaoru was to pretend he had just got done buttoning his vest.

Fourth pose. This one got the girls screeching their approval when Hikaru had to lift his dress shirt just enough to show off his stomach and he had to give the camera his most seductive look which meant he tilted his head back, looked at the cameras out of the corner of his eyes, lips parted. Oh yes, the girls were sure squealing. And Kaoru was told to unbutton his dress shirt halfway, pausing to glimpse upwards, giving a confident smirk. This photo was a definite ten out of ten.

The fangirls squealing was hurting his ears, his eyes being strained from all the flashes. The photographers, assistants, make-up artists, everybody's constant demanding was beginning to get on his last nerve. But Kaoru's smile, every time it was sent towards him during the break between poses, Hikaru yelled at himself to keep his cool, to go on just for Kaoru. Just...for him. Hikaru took a deep breath, exhaling it slowly. An assistant rushed up to him, smearing concealer over the dark circles again. He flinched every time the young woman touched him, her nail scraping across his skin. It reminded him too much of Clarisse's claws scratching him across his face. He had been surprised when the make-up artists were able to conceal the three scratches Clarisse had left behind. He grabbed the hand of the assistant, lowering it. He'd had enough of her touching him.

What the hell was his problem today?

"Hikaru...?" Kaoru asked worriedly.

"I'm fine." he growled, moving his face around so the assistant would stop touching him.

"Alright, Lydia, that's enough." Kaoru instructed, nodding his head. The assistant nodded, rushing away into the crowd.

"Hikaru, what's wrong?"

"Just a bit agitated."

"About what?" Why did he have to ask so many damn questions?

"I just am. Can we move on now?"

"Uh...yeah..."

Fifth pose.

Sixth pose.

Seventh pose.

His head was spinning now. The scratches on his cheek were throbbing in pain now from all the smiling and make-up being applied and his feet were beginning to hurt from standing so much. Kaoru was still his cheerful self, but Hikaru now looked grumpy, and the cameramen were having fun shouting things like, "Hitachiin, get that stick out of your ass and smile!" and "I'll have you stand there for four more hours if you don't smile, Hitachiin!" He forced himself to grin and smirk. God, he was hating this.

"Come on, Hika. We only have three more pictures left." Kaoru encouraged.

Pose. Flash. Squeal. Yell.

It was all getting to him now. He needed out.

When the tenth pose was done, Hikaru didn't hesitate in running off the set. He almost made it to the dressing rooms when fangirls suddenly prevented him from getting through the door. They grabbed at him, they asked him to marry them and do disgusting things to them, they wanted his autograph. He elbowed them out of the way, not caring if they yelled out in pain. He finally got his hand on the doorknob, was able to twist it, and he was free from the clutches of obsessed fangirls.

Hikaru rushed into the nearest broom closet, turning over a bucket, and sat. His fingers raked through his hair in frustration, gritting his teeth. His skin crawled and he didn't know why. He didn't want those nasty women out there to touch him; he didn't even want them to look at him.

They _disgusted _him.

He pressed his phone to his ear, leg bouncing up and down as he waited.

"_Hey, Hika, what's-_"

"Ripley, I'm having the most stressful day."

"_Tell me about it._"

**...\~/...**

It was now 7:58.

He was pacing back and forth, Kaoru watching him carefully.

He was _actually _chewing his nails.

He was nervous.

"Did you get the roses?" he asked.

"_Yes, I got the roses._" MJ replied.

"Is dinner ready over there? You made chicken alfredo, right?"

"_Yes, I prepared dinner just like you asked me to._"

"Did you-"

"_I got everything! Now, calm down! Everything's going to be fine!_"

He had this all planned out. He wanted this to be the next step in the right direction. He wanted this to progress his and Ripley's relationship.

"She'll love it, Hikaru. You're fretting over nothing." Kaoru said gently.

"Yeah, well, I was calm with all my other dates and look at where they are now." Not with him.

"_Alright, I'm leaving you here. She'll be home in a couple minutes. And calm down!_" MJ said.

He was on his own now. All he could do was wait.

Come on, Ripley, hurry up.

That's when he heard a door open and slam shut on the other line and his heart leapt. That was most likely Ripley. There were butterflies in his stomach when he scurried into the kitchen, placing himself at the island table after dimming the lights in the room. Come on, he wanted a reaction so badly. It was killing him waiting for one. This wasn't like anything else he had ever done. This was special; this was for _Ripley. _She wasn't like all his other dates and girlfriends. She was something completely different and he wanted her to feel amazing, wanted...by him.

"_What in the... Oh. My. God. Hikaru! What is this?_"

She sounded so happy, so excited.

"It's for you."

Displayed out in front of her (he knew because he was staring at the same exact thing in his kitchen), was their apartment's kitchen table pulled out slightly with a lacy tablecloth spread over it. Two candles were lit, one of each side of the table, and a vase full of two dozen red, peach and white roses were beautifully arranged. Two plates, one full of chicken alfredo and salad and the other empty; two sets of silverware, and two glasses, one full of wine and the other dry, were placed neatly on the table as well. Then, there was her phone, which MJ had taken earlier, propped up against the flower vase, waiting for her.

He could hear Ripley laugh and he smiled.

"_I can't... I can't believe this. This is just too... I love it._"

He wished she would've replaced the 'it' with a 'you'.

"I'm glad. I wanted this to be special."

"_No one's ever done anything like this for me._"

"Well, you can't say that anymore."

He needed this. He wanted this. He loved this.

He _needed _her. He _wanted _her. He...he...

"_Why did you do this?__ I mean, I love it, but you didn't have to go-_"

"Because I lov- like _like _you."

"_Well, I like **like **you, too._"

He smiled, closing his eyes.

His wounded heart was finally beginning to heal.

**...\~/...**

**Somewhere in the Bi-Polar Weather State:**

**March 4th, 1:03 P.M.:**

"Oh my gosh, twins! And they're Asian!"

The group of five girls looked over to see a large poster plastered up on the display window. There was a flock of girls surrounding it, all blushing and giggling at the picture. Two models, one dark-haired and the other with red, were staring seductively at the cameras, skin exposed.

"Dawn, you can't have a fangirl spasm every time you see twins!"

Dawn ignored them, rushing over to the group, joining the other girls in their ogling.

"Hey, Rip, where have we seen the name Hitachiin?"

"Um...Hikaru Hitachiin?" Ripley answered quietly, gaping up at the poster.

"Oh, yeah... OH MY GOD! That's your Red Hue guy!" MJ exclaimed, grabbing onto Ripley's arm and shaking her. "That's Hikaru!"

"Wow, Rips, you actually managed to score a hot piece of meat." Renee said, punching Ripley in the shoulder. "I always pictured an overweight car salesman for you!"

"Gee, thanks..." Ripley replied in a flat tone.

"Shut up, Renee!" MJ hissed.

"What? I'm being nice!"

"Yeah, but which one is he?" Erika asked, looking over the poster.

MJ responded casually, "Oh, he's the one with the dark hair."

"But how do you know?"

"Because he told me."

Ripley whipped her gaze towards MJ, "What? When did he tell you?"

"Back on Valentine's Day."

The group was quiet. Ripley couldn't help but hear the other excited girls surrounding the poster, exclaiming that they thought he was attractive and wished that guys like him would notice girls like them. One girl in a different group even had the audacity to say that she'd...well, let's keep her perverted fantasies to herself. Ripley stared up at the poster, gazing intently at the dark-haired man that stared right back, looking very sultry in his pose.

"Rip, are you okay?" Erika questioned. "Are you that surprised by his appearance?"

"Oh, um... I'm fine." Ripley responded, smiling sheepishly.

MJ frowned, "I'm a psychology major and your best friend, so do you seriously think I believe you're fine?"

Ripley cast her eyes downward, "Well...um...when I pictured him...I didn't picture him so attractive..."

"Twincest is _always _attractive..." Dawn mumbled. Erika punched Dawn's upper arm, giving her a stern look.

"Rip, tell me what's wrong." MJ pressured.

"Nothing. Nothing's wrong. I'm fine."

"I'm gonna start poking you and I won't stop poking you until you tell me!"

"Do you treat the kids at your school like this?"

They were walking away now, which Ripley was thankful for. MJ was still poking her.

Dawn asked, "You _did _ask if his brother was single, right?"

MJ shook her head, "Not now, Dawn. I'm trying to get Ripley to open up about her feelings."

"Oh...okay!"

That's when MJ gasped, "Ripley, you aren't...you aren't thinking dirty thoughts, are you?"

Renee answered before Ripley could, "MJ, have you seen that boy? I wouldn't be surprised if she excused herself to the bathroom shortly..."

"RENEE!" the other four shouted. Ripley hissed, "I will not have you talk about my boyfr- I-I mean...FRIEND like that!" Great, she could feel herself blushing now.

"You guys haven't made it official yet?" Dawn.

"Why would they?" MJ.

"I don't know, probably because they make each other happy?"

Ripley sighed, "It's only been a couple months, guys. Plus, there's...something going on with him..."

"What sort of problems?" Erika.

"Yeah, what sort of 'stuff' does he have on him? You're not...HAVE YOU NOT TOLD ME SOMETHING VITAL?" MJ gasped.

"What's wrong with him? Is he alright?" Erika again.

"Don't know! He hasn't told me! Can't I just rely on my gut?" Ripley asked.

"My gut's stupid. It just tells me when it's hungry." Dawn added.

It was quiet. MJ watched as Ripley brought her hand up to her lips, digging her nails into her bottom one. Always a sign that Ripley was thinking about something.

"What are the symptoms of depression."

"Lack of appetite, mood swings, sleep apnea...um, suicidal thoughts is the kicker." MJ listed. "Want more?"

Dawn and Erika kept asking Ripley if she was depressed and she finally responded with, "Check...check...check...shit..."

"Who are you worried about? It's not Hikaru, right?" MJ.

"Is it Hikaru? Is he okay?" Erika.

"Um...Mark. I think he's finally realized how stupid he is and it's depressing him."

The three found no humor in her words whatsoever.

"That wasn't funny..." MJ muttered.

"Heh, I thought it was..." Ripley laughed.

"I'm going to kill you now." MJ said and punched Ripley in the arm.

"OW! Hey! If you kill me, that'll really depress Hik- MARK!"

"Ah-hah! So it really is Hikaru you're worried about!"

"No, I said Mark."

"But you started to say Hikaru."

"No, I obviously hiccupped."

"We won't judge you if you tell us! You know we won't!"

She needed to get out of this conversation. They wanted answers she didn't possess.

"Hey, where's Renee?" Dawn asked.

Ripley found her way out. "I think the Abercombie models were out again. Remember last time?"

"Oh shit!" MJ shouted. "Everybody fan out! We have a Situation Renee; I repeat, Situation Renee!"

Ripley watched as the other three hurried away in search of their missing member. Her shoulders slouched, her whole body feeling heavy.

"Hey, Hikaru, you okay? Why won't you tell me anything?"

* * *

**So, the Valentine's Day chapter. THIS CHAPTER IS MAJORLY BI-POLAR! It goes from happy to sad to happy and so on and so forth. It's not as funny as the Christmas day chapter, but this chapter is definitely a step forward in Hikaru and Ripley's relationship. I hoped you all liked the date scene! I got all warm and fuzzy when I wrote that part. :D And Ripley found out what Hikaru looked like when they promised each other they'd keep their appearances secret! Oooo...but will she tell Hikaru about it? Hmm, we shall see. If you guys are paying attention, there are big time gaps between each chapter, and that's because I'm planning on having Hikaru and Ripley meet in September, which means they would have known each other for about nine months. The reason why I'm telling you all this will become very clear in the future. By the way, if you liked Kyoya/Tara together, I have another fanfic that's dedicated to them called 100 Moments Between A Megane and A Southerner.**

**Questions: 1) If you could pick any character from the anime/manga that you would want to see in this story, who would it be? 2) What do you all think of Haruhi? I've seen mixed reviews on her, but I'm curious to see how you guys see her.**

**Review please! Thanks!**

**Author's Note - Fin**


	12. Try And Forget The Wedding

**Step #12:**

**Try And Forget About The Wedding Day**

**...\~/...**

**July 24th, 11:45 A.M.: **

It had been about three months since Ripley began to act strange. He remembered clearly the first day she started acting weird- March 5th. He had called her to ask her about her day and he remembered distinctly the sad tone in her voice when she told him. He had asked her if there was anything wrong, but she told she had been fine. That was the first clue when he knew she hadn't been. After that, their phone calls got shorter, and their messages to one another didn't last long. The time gaps in their conversations, though not uncommon, were getting longer and longer, but something triggered the second clue where he knew something was terribly wrong with Ripley. In the past, when there would be gaps, Ripley would always message him saying that she was okay and couldn't talk long. Hikaru sighed, running his hand down his face in frustration.

It had been four days since Ripley's last message.

Hikaru slipped out his phone to make sure she hadn't tried to contact him. Every time he tried to call her, all he'd get was voice mail. Every time he messaged her, he'd be left wondering if she even got his worry-filled texts. Every time he sent her an Xbox invite when she was obviously on, she wouldn't accept. One time he had been so close though; Quin had sent him a party invite, Hikaru accepting it immediately. And there had been Ripley, sounding lively like he had remembered her, and the moment he opened his mouth, she was off the Xbox party.

_"What the hell? Where'd she go?" Mark called out. _

_"Dunno. Hey, asshole," Joey was referring to Hikaru. "Did somethin' happen between you two?"_

_"I...I don't know. She won't talk to me or message me or anything else." Hikaru answered, his voice shaky. _

_There's no way he was going to break down in front of these guys. _

_Quin said to him, "I'll talk to her. I'll tell her to call you."_

_She hadn't called him._

Hikaru sighed, spinning in his artist's stool, gazing out the window. The streets were busy once more and heat waves rolled off the pavement. The thermometer outside his window read a hundred and two degrees. Hikaru frowned, narrowing his gaze. He hated summer too, especially this summer. On the news, there had been nothing but complaints about the drought that was spreading across America and how farmers were already cutting down their harvest, which had been ruined due to no rain. He had sent many texts to Ripley telling her to be careful and stay hydrated while she worked out under the blazing sun. Sometimes, he was thankful he didn't have to work like her.

He turned back to the picture he was drawing for his summer art class. Their assignment was to draw their dream boy/girl. Everyone around him had had an instant reaction: the girls wanted muscular, good-looking men (most girls in his class had glanced over in his direction) and the guys wanted a woman with natural curves and a seductive nature. Hikaru found them all to be idiots; he thought it was gross how the men spoke so lewdly of women. In his family, his mother had drilled him to be a gentleman and to never treat women disrespectfully. Hikaru shook his head, looking over his picture. When the teacher had listed off the rules for this assignment (no inappropriate nudity, positions, etc.), Hikaru had written a list of things he wanted to include: he wanted her to be cute with long, brown hair and his ever wanted doe, brown eyes, but he kept on leaning towards her wearing a graphics tee emblazoned with some superhero symbol over a long-sleeved white shirt, jeans, and Converse with Batman's Joker printed on the sides of them. He assumed the clothes were based off Ripley's likes and personality.

He had drawn his dream girl beautifully.

Maybe he could turn it in without presenting it to the class...

His heart skipped a beat when his phone buzzed. Hikaru didn't even bother to look at the caller I.D. when he cried in it, "Ripley?"

It hadn't been her.

"_Not...exactly. This is Quin._"

Quin? Quin...Barrett...was calling him? The third of the family was calling him... Great...

"Are you going to mock me?" Hikaru asked.

"_No..._" Quin replied, drawing out the O.

"Are you going to say I'm not fit for your sister?"

"_Again, no..._"

"Then, what? What do you want?"

Quin sighed through the phone, "_I just want to know your side of the story. What exactly is going on between you and Ripley?_"

Hikaru threw his hand up in the air. "I don't know! I get voice mail most of the time when I call her and she won't answer my messages, but when she does, they're usually really short! I keep on trying to think back and see if I might have said something hurtful, but I haven't! I know I haven't because I don't want to hurt your sister!" Quin was just listening to this. He wondered how Joey or Mark would've responded to his rant. "I really like your sister; I really, _really _do. She's...she...she's getting me through some really hard times and I care about her. It's been four days since she's messaged me and I keep on trying to contact her, but she won't answer! I'm worried about her..."

"_Don't worry; you haven't done anything. We're under a lot of stress over here. It's been going on for a while now._"

"What's going on, then?"

"_Dad's health is in jeopardy again. He's going to have surgery next month and we're fretting on how to pay it. Spine surgery is not...cheap. The business... We thought it was slowly becoming successful, but we have better competition now and they're taking all the business. We're still trying to pay off medical bills from two months ago..._" Quin paused to talk to someone. Was that Ripley in the background? Did she know it was him on the phone? Just the thought of her being right there in the same room as Quin...

"Is that Ripley?"

"_...yes..._"

"Well...?"

"_Well what?_"

"Can I talk to her?"

"_Mmm, no. You can't._" Hikaru was about to say something, but Quin added, "_Look, I told her to call you. Whether or not she does, I have no control over. I know what happened, but I'm not allowed to tell you, so don't ask. And don't worry; she doesn't hate you. Rip's just in a tight spot right now with everything's that going on. But...you may be able to get ahold of her later. She's going out with friends later and there's a guy..._"

"A guy? _What guy?_" he growled into the phone.

Quin sounded like he was taken aback by Hikaru's sudden change in attitude. "_A guy in college that kind of inserted himself into their group. None of them have the heart to tell him to go away, but he's kind of a creep and I think he's attracted to Rips. Well, he used to like Erika, then it went to MJ, Dawn, and Renée. Now it's Ripley. We've met him when he asked if he could meet us. Of course, we don't like him._"

Hikaru gritted his teeth, fists clenched.

"_Compared to him, though, you're gold._"

"And you guys are just letting him hang out with the girls unsupervised? What if he tries to pull something with Ripley?"

"_They asked some guys from high school to hang out with them, too._"

Hikaru stood up suddenly, his stool falling backwards onto the floor with a loud thud. These were the times when he hated being so far away from her. He wished he lived right next to her sometimes, so when moments where she were upset he could hold her or when other men tried to advance onto her, he could protect her. Hikaru growled through the phone, forgetting that Quin was on the other line for a moment. He slid his sketchbook off the table out of frustration, kicking it for good measure. His overactive mind was imagining an oblivious Ripley with that disgusting creep following her, then suddenly he grabs her and drags her off somewhere. Hikaru paced around the room, running his hand through his hair, gritting his teeth. He couldn't take this...

"Go with her."

"_What?_"

"Go with her." he hissed.

"_Calm down, dude. Just because I said she's creeped out by this guy, doesn't mean she can't defend herself. She's paranoid and she'll be watching him like a hawk._" Quin directed the next thing he said to someone on the other side. Hikaru calmed down when he heard her voice on the other end. He wanted so badly to talk to her. "_Yeah, it's Hikaru. You want to talk to him?_"

And then her voice... Her voice flooded his ear.

"_Hey, Hikaru._" She sounded so sad.

"Ripley..." he started, shifting his weight from foot to foot. "Why haven't you called?"

"_I've been busy. I'm sorry I haven't been able to message you._" God, he missed her.

"I'm sorry about your dad. Is there anything I can do?" Their conversation was so tense. How did they become like this?

"_Thanks, and don't worry about it. We have everything under control._"

"What's wrong?"

"_Nothing's wrong._" Damn it, Ripley! Come on! "_Hikaru, I have to-_"

"Why won't you tell me?"

"_Why won't _you _tell_ me?" He was taken aback by her response. Here he was, being such a hypocrite. "_Hikaru, I have to go. I'll talk to you later._"

And click...

Hikaru stared at his phone, watching as the screen switched off automatically. She was turning away from him and it was driving him up the wall, the thought of losing her was driving him crazy. She was getting tired of him being secretive towards her and now he knew what it felt like to be on the other side, totally blind at what was really going on. Hikaru hated being on the outside, wishing that Ripley would just open up to him instead of being secretive right back. Hikaru bent down to pick up his sketchbook, sighing.

That's when it slid out, floating to the ground.

Tamaki and Haruhi's wedding picture...

Hikaru picked it up gently, almost like it was made of fine china and not cheap paper. This particular picture showed Haruhi being pulled into Tamaki's embrace, his front pressed firmly to her back, arms wrapped securely around her. They were both smiling, his nose buried into her long hair. Hikaru settled into his artist's stool, picture still held between his two fingers.

He hated it...

He really, really hated it...

**...\~/...**

**_March 3rd. Two Years Ago._**

**_11:14 A.M._**

_It was annoying watching Tamaki be happy. It wasn't that he hated seeing the blonde idiot happy, but Tamaki had a way of exaggerating every little thing he did...and that was what he was doing now. The blonde man was hopping from foot to foot, making it impossible for Yuzuha's assistant to mark his pant legs so they could be hemmed later on, and his voice was spitting out words a mile a minute, making it very hard to keep track and have a conversation with him. Kyoya was to his side, arms crossed, pretending to listen to every word, but really just ignoring him. Now that he thought about it, Kyoya could be just as annoying as Tamaki._

_Hikaru kept his mouth shut as he focused on sticking pins in Hunny's pants, which the legs had been incredibly long on. He glanced over to the right, Kaoru falling into view. His little brother was focusing on Mori's pant legs, which had been too short, and was currently taking measurements. Hikaru looked over his shoulder quickly, seeing his mother at the computer, the gears in her head turning at mach speed trying to concoct some genius idea for the wedding dress. Hikaru turned back to Hunny, remembering the day when Haruhi had come to the Hitachiin Manor on her own and without invitation. It wasn't like he hadn't been unhappy about her visit, but he hadn't been exactly glad about her request- for his mother to design her wedding dress. When she had asked, it had been like another hit of reality to the face, and it had been just like all the others every time he was reminded that Tamaki and Haruhi's wedding was actually going to happen._

_The wedding dress was beautiful, just like the woman it was being designed for. The torso had an intricate design woven into it that took his mother forever to do by hand (she wanted this dress to be her best, so she wanted every detail to be exact) and it was strapless, like Haruhi had requested. The bottom was layered and made out of the finest satin Yuzuha Hitachiin could find and afford; the bottom was set in waves. And his mother even made the veil, which was still to be attached to a flowered comb that was to be slipped into Haruhi's hair. Yuzuha had asked him for suggestions on what she could do to embolish the look of the dress, but he would always tell her to keep it simple, so that it could reflect the personality of the bride. _

_"Hika-chan, are you okay?" Hunny asked, sounding concerned. _

_Hikaru didn't look at him, only nodded his head with a curt, "Yeah, I'm fine..."_

_He didn't notice, but Hunny was looking down on him with an understanding gaze, fist curled up next to his mouth in a sort of thoughtful gesture. His senpai was fully aware of the feelings Hikaru was having, despite the fact the ash-haired man had kept his lips sealed shut. Hikaru was devestated about the fact that Tamaki and Haruhi were actually getting married. Hunny looked over at Mori, who was giving Hikaru the same knowing gaze. The blonde man turned his head towards Tamaki and Kyoya; he knew for a fact that Kyoya knew Hikaru was upset about the wedding, but Hunny had to wonder if Tamaki knew or had sensed anything. Probably not, considering how dim-witted the Frenchman was..._

_"Are you sure? You don't sound okay."_

_"Yes, senpai, I'm fine." Hikaru hissed through gritted teeth. He sounded stressed. _

_"You have bags under your eyes." _

_"I haven't been sleeping lately. I'm _fine._"_

_"Okay... But we're here if you need anything."_

_"Fine..." He was saying that a lot._

_Hikaru let out a yell when he was suddenly pulled off the ground and twirled around in circles. Unbeknownst to him, Tamaki had rushed over when he heard Hikaru sound upset about something. So what was the number one way of cheering someone up? Twirling them around in rapid circles, of course. Tamaki laughed loudly, Hikaru yelling at him to let him go, but Tamaki refused. "It is my duty as your bosom buddy to cheer you up, so I won't let you go until you smile!"_

_"How am I supposed to smile when I'm about to puke?!" Hikaru shouted, struggling in his senpai's grasp._

_"Then puke with a smile!" Tamaki laughed._

_Then, Hikaru heard the studio doors open with a creak, footsteps coming towards them._

_"Hey, idiot, I want your opinion on something." Hikaru had never been so happy to hear Tara's voice before._

_Tamaki dropped Hikaru to the floor in an instant, bouncing over to where Tara stood. "Yes, Tara?"_

_"Do you like the lemon, red velvet, chocolate, vanilla, or this spice cake? You and Haruhi never answered my question from before."_

_Tamaki smiled, "How about a layer of each?"_

_Tara's expression went from peeved to disgusted, "If you want everyone to vomit, then sure, so get your head out of your ass and decide." she ordered, displaying the tray of cake in front of him. By this time, Hunny had run over, shouting "Cake, cake! I want some cake!" Tara, however, stuck her foot out, planting it right in the middle of Hunny's torso, keeping him at bay while the lolita-type struggled against her foot. She had no tolerance for Hunny most of the time... _

_"Um...chocolate...?" Tamaki said doubtfully. Hikaru cringed; one should never doubt themselves around Tara._

_"Do you want chocolate or not?" she snapped._

_"Yes! Yes, I do!" _

_Tara's eyebrows knitted together, "You're planning your wedding, Tamaki, not your birthday party. Chocolate, really?"_

_"But...you..."_

_The blonde woman just gave a smirk, "I'm just messing with you. Haruhi already decided on vanilla with cream cheese icing and strawberries, so your opinion doesn't matter." Tara shoved past Tamaki, walking straight up to Hikaru, who straightened his posture. Tara hated people slouching in front of her. He remembered a time when she had snapped at a complete stranger to sit up straight in her presence. Tara stopped in front of him, "Hikaru, I know you like spice cake, so here." she said, handing him the plate with spice cake. _

_"But I'm not hungry..."_

_"Eat it, damn it!"_

_"Y-yes, ma'am!" Hikaru sputtered, taking a bite quickly. Tara watched him carefully, like she was making sure he was actually eating, before she slowly dragged her gaze away from him. She began to walk away when Kyoya called out cooly, "No good-bye kiss?" Everyone watched as Tara stopped by the spectacled man, staring straight at him. _

_She planted a plate of cake right in his face._

_The plate dropped, Kyoya's cake-covered face displayed for everyone to see._

_Tara smirked, patting her boyfriend on the chest. "Just keepin' you on your toes, sweetheart."_

_And she left. _

_Hikaru couldn't help but smirk at how Kyoya removed his glasses, gesturing for someone to give him a towel. He looked down at his spice cake, taking another bite. _

_Tara had been the best part of his day so far._

**...\~/...**

_**Later that night at 6:06. Suoh Mansion #1.**_

_**Bachelor Party.**_

_Champagne foamed out of the top of the bottle when Kaoru popped the cork out. Everyone was laughing and cheering when the champagne was poured into everybody's glasses. Wealthy bachelor parties weren't like commoner bachelor parties at all; they were just like any other social gathering that they would host. This time, however, there were no girls to entertain and keep happy. The ballroom was filled to the brim with well-dressed gentlemen and Tamaki was making his rounds, being congratulated for his upcoming wedding and was being complimented on his future wife. It bothered Hikaru how the other men commented on how beautiful Haruhi was and how they would've been overjoyed for a wife like her. Hikaru couldn't help but scoff every time he heard such a thing. They didn't even know her, so they didn't have the right to talk like that._

_"Hey there, Hikaru! Long time no see!" It was some guy from high school that he couldn't remember the name of._

_"Uh...hey..." God, he sounded awkward. Hikaru couldn't help but notice how Kaoru was laughing with people and having a good time._

_"Isn't it great that Suoh is finally getting married to Fujioka? And to think we thought you were going to end up with her!"_

_That stung..._

_"Oh, yeah, I'm happy for them." And he was, but that didn't mean he couldn't be bitter about it._

_"I mean, you and Fujioka were, what, best friends in high school? You and your brother both opened up a lot after she came around. And it was so obvious that you liked her! It must've hurt when she went for Suoh instead!"_

_"Uh, yeah, it did..." Okay, he knew he was awkward in conversation, but this guy was just plain rude._

_"And Fujioka sure is beautiful! Hell, she was even cute when everyone thought she was guy!"_

_"Yeah...yeah, she is..." He wanted to punch this guy in the face._

_This stranger grabbed Hikaru by the shoulder, giving him a firm shake. "Don't worry, Hitachiin; it may not be Fujioka, but you'll find someone." The familiar stranger gave a smile before making his way towards another group of men, clapping another man on the back. Hikaru stood there, alone, a champagne glass in his hand. He was so focused on what the stranger had said, that he didn't notice his tight grip on his glass. Suddenly, the glass burst into shatters, coating the polished marble floor with white alcohol and shimmering shards of glass. Guests turned their heads to stare as Hikaru kneeled down, collecting the pieces. The splinters in his palm hurt, but he'd focus on them later. Right now, he had to concentrate on getting the pain in his chest to settle down. _

_"Hikaru, you need to be more careful." a voice said beside him. "What are you thinking about that made you do this?"_

_"I think you already know, Kaoru."_

_Kaoru hummed in response, his golden eyes resting on his older brother. Then, he gasped, "Hikaru, your hand is bleeding!" He instantly dropped the pieces, reaching for Hikaru's hand. Blood dotted the palm and upper part of the hand, glimmering pieces of glass embedded in his skin. Kaoru looked into Hikaru's eyes and saw the somber expression his brother was giving. _

_"Hikaru...?"_

_"Funny thing is, I can't feel it."_

_No, he was numb. Completely and totally numb to this pain. All the hits of reality he had had helped him become immune to physical pain a long time ago. Now, it was just the mental and emotional pain that he felt. He stared at the blood on his hand and frowned, wishing that he could feel it. Maybe it would've distracted him from all the thoughts in his head. Kaoru helped him stand up, his arm around Hikaru's shoulders. _

_Tamaki rushed up to them, "What happened over here?"_

_"Oh, Hikaru wasn't paying attention and broke his glass. His hand's cut up so I have to bandage it." Kaoru explained._

_"Is there anything I can do to help?" Tamaki asked. He noticed how Hikaru was avoiding his eyes. _

_"No, I got it. Thanks, though." Kaoru said, and began to guide Hikaru out of the ballroom._

**...\~/...**

**_Same night at 6:15. Momoka Kurasano's Mansion._**

**_Bachelorette Party._**

_The bachelorette party was more like a girl's day out than a party. The gathering consisted of Haruhi Fujioka, Mei Yasumura (who had been made the Maid of Honor), Momoka Kurasano, Kimiko Sakurazuka, Reiko Haninozuka, Tara Alexander, with the exceptions of Renge Houshakuji and Syd McNamara, who were both not included in the wedding itself, but Haruhi invited them anyway. At the table, Haruhi was busily nodding at her high school customers' fast-paced conversation, answering questions when she could._

_"All the Hosts looked so handsome today!" gushed Kimiko. "I know we're not in high school anymore, but I still can't help but blush every time they're all together."_

_"Yeah, Haruhi, you're so lucky to be marrying Tamaki!" Momoka added excitedly. "And you, Tara, dating Kyoya! You two are so cute!"_

_Tara gave a forced laugh, "Oh yeah, dating a manipulative bastard is always a privilege!" Kimiko and Momoka's faces fell slightly, still keeping their forced smiles. The only ones in the room who understood Kyoya and Tara's odd relationship were Haruhi and Syd, but the others thought Tara was a bit harsh towards the third son. Yeah right; Kyoya was always trying to irritate Tara by acting cooly towards her jabs._

_"And Reiko, what's it like being married to Hunny?! He's so adorable and sweet!" Kimiko asked._

_"It is nice. I am glad my curses finally got through to him." Reiko responded, her face emotionless._

_"Oh, uh...yeah..." Kimiko muttered. They weren't used to Reiko yet._

_"Hey, Haruhi, do you know if Yuzuha is done with your dress yet? When I called a few days ago, Hikaru said it wasn't done yet." Mei said, her leg curled up by her chest. "I bet it's beautiful! Yuzuka is a genius, ya know."_

_"I'm not sure. I was planning on going over there to check it out tomorrow, though." Haruhi replied. "You can come too, if you want."_

_"Nah, I'm busy with my own designs. I have a photo shoot coming up in a couple weeks." Mei said, then added, "Hey, do you know what's wrong with Hikaru? He was pretty quiet over the phone."_

_"Um...I don't know. He seemed pretty normal when I talked to him the other day."_

_Mei frowned, "Why did I even ask? We both know how ridiculously stupid you are when it comes to people's emotions."_

_"Hey, wait a second, is there something wr-"_

_Suddenly, Renge stood up, slamming her hands into the table. "Is there some romantic conflict going on between you two?! Oh my gosh, tell me, tell me, TELL ME! I've been in a bit of a dry spell lately and I need inspiration!" A gasp escaped the otaku. "Is he secretly still in love with you?! I thought he was over you! Can you tell-mmph!" Tara had come up behind Renge and covered her mouth with her hand, dragging her out of the parlor. She then found a random storage closet and stuffed her in it, slamming the door and stuffing a chair under the knob. _

_"Hey, let me out!" Renge cried out, pounding the door with her fists. _

_"No! We can't have your over-analytical mind right now!" Tara yelled back. When she turned around, there was Mei and Syd standing there, Mei with her arms crossed. "What?" Tara snapped._

_"What the hell was that all about?" Mei asked. _

_"What was what about?"_

_Mei stared at her._

_"Okay, Hikaru isn't over Haruhi. He's a bit...upset about the wedding."_

_"I knew it!" Renge shouted from inside the closet happily. Tara pounded her fist against the door, snarling, "I swear to God, if you say anything or write any doujinshi about it, I will dump you off in the middle of nowhere with a severe case of amnesia!"_

_"So, what's he going to do about it?" Mei questioned, arching an eyebrow. _

_"Be a man and suck it up. It's the only thing he _can _do."_

_Syd stood in the background, scoffing, "Pathetic..." They ignored her. _

_Mei sighed, "Let's just hope he doesn't make a fool of himself..."_

_Tara frowned, "Knowing Hikaru, he probably will." She finally kicked the chair out of the way and opened the door. Renge stumbled out, Tara immediately putting her in a headlock. "Swear to me you won't say or do anything that acknowledges this conversation."_

_"I...swear..." Renge sputtered out, struggling against Tara's hold. _

_"Good. I'll be watching." She released Renge, pushing her forward._

_"You're a bully." Mei spat._

_"I will admit, I have shoved a couple kids in lockers in my school days. Kyoya says I'm the Godzilla in his life."_

_Syd snickered, "Remember that kid you threw head-first into the garbage back in Boston."_

_Tara frowned, then turned her head away, "I have absolutely no recollection of that."_

_"Let me jog your mem-OW! Tara! I think you broke my shin!"_

_"Yes, well, you deserved it."_

**...\~/...**

_**Back at the Bachelor Party. **_

_**6:16.**_

_Hikaru clutched at the bathroom sink, gritting his teeth as Kaoru scrubbed his hand. The glass splinters had been removed and now his brother was cleaning out his wound. It hurt like hell. Now, he was wishing he _couldn't _feel physical pain. Hikaru struggled against Kaoru's grip, but it was all in vain. Kaoru pulled him back every time he pulled away. Blood mixed with the running water, the soap causing the injury to sting and his palm to pulsate with pain. _

_"There. Now we're done. See, it wasn't so bad." Kaoru said, turning the water off, and then lightly dabbing his brother's hand dry. Red stained the white towel. Hikaru's upper lip lifted up in a snarl, "You weren't the one with the wound." Hikaru mumbled, wincing when Kaoru pressed against the wound a bit harder than he meant to...or he did do it on purpose, he couldn't tell. Kaoru pushed him to a sitting position on the toilet, kneeling down so he could wrap Hikaru's hand in gauze and bandages._

_"You really need to be more careful." Kaoru scolded._

_"It was an _accident_." Hikaru muttered._

_"I know, I know; I'm just saying."_

_"Well, I got it, okay." _

_"Boy, you sure are crabby today." Kaoru said with a laugh. He found Hikaru's bad moods amusing. _

_Hikaru leaned forward, resting his forehead on Kaoru's shoulder. "I'm sorry. It's just...this wedding is really getting to me." Hikaru sighed, stealing a glance in his brother's direction. "It's like it's rubbing the fact that Haruhi chose Milord over me in my face and I hate it. Why did I even agree to be in it?"_

_"Because you love both Milord and Haruhi and you want to see them happy."_

_"But _I _want to be happy."_

_"So does everyone else. We can't always get what we want." Kaoru whispered. _

_"I wish we could, then the world would be a better place."_

_"No, it wouldn't. You just need to stop being a baby and get over the fact that you lost."_

_Hikaru frowned, sitting up straighter now whilst looking into Kaoru's eyes. "What happened to my kind and caring brother?"_

_"He's still here, just a little bit wiser than before, that's all."_

_"Hmph, well I don't like him."_

_Kaoru chuckled when he saw his older brother's lip protrude in a pouting manner. His brother was such a child; it was pathetic to see a grown man pout like a five-year-old. But behind that juvenile expression, was a very hurt man who was constantly being reminded of something he lost that was very dear to him. Hikaru dropped his pout, only to regain his solemn look from before, lowering his gaze from Kaoru's. _

_"It'll all be over soon." Kaoru reassured softly, taping the end of the bandage._

_"Then I'll never have a chance." He sounded so pitiful._

_"You'll find someone, don't worry."_

_"Huh, yeah, hopefully. I seriously think Haruhi was the only girl for me."_

**...\~/...**

_**Next day at 1:01 P.M. **_

_**Hitachiin Mansion.**_

_The doorbell rang._

_He answered the door._

_He wished he hadn't._

_"Haruhi?"_

_There she was, standing there with her wide-eyed gaze fixated straight on him, looking directly into his eyes. A warm smile spread across her face, looking like she hadn't seen him in forever. That look, that smile, her being here right in front of him, it all made his heart race and his palms sweat. He rubbed his hands inconspicuously against his jeans, making sure he was careful of his wounded hand. Haruhi tilted her head to the side a bit and he couldn't help but think how cute she looked. She was dressed in a girlish outfit, consisting of pink and flowers, so it was obvious either Tamaki or Ranka dressed her. _

_"Can I come in?" she asked._

_"Why?" he questioned._

_"Because I called your mom earlier and she said I could come see the dress." Haruhi answered. _

_"Fine. You can come in." Hikaru muttered, stepping aside for her. _

_When he closed the door and turned, he saw his mother and Kaoru coming down the stairs. "Haruhi!" they both exclaimed. Kaoru swooped in for a hug and it was a surprise to see Haruhi actually return it, even if she did it a bit hesitantly. Kaoru pulled back, his hands still rested firmly on her shoulders. Hikaru wanted to shove them off and replace them with his own. Why couldn't he have tried to act happy to see her and pulled the hug move? Act happy? Shouldn't he_ be _happy to see her? _

_"Did you come here to see your dress?" Kaoru asked, giving her a smile._

_"Yeah, your mom said it was almost done."_

_Yuzuha stepped up, setting a hand on top of Haruhi's head, ruffling her hair. "I've been working nonstop on it! By the way, I forgot to tell you that I'll have to have you try it on so I can make some last minute alterations." Yuzuha said. "You should also thank Kaoru. He's been helping me design it!"_

_Haruhi smiled in Kaoru's direction, "Thanks, Kaoru. It means a lot to me." _

_The red-head put his hands up in embarrassment, a light blush dusting his features. "It was no problem! I was glad to help. But, ya know, Hikaru gave me a lot of ideas for the designs, so you should thank him as well." Kaoru mentioned, looking over at Hikaru. he noticed his brother's narrowed, piercing gaze, and it was meant for him. Kaoru immediately slid his hands off of Haruhi's shoulders and clasped them behind his back. He knew why he was being glared at._

_Haruhi turned towards Hikaru, but she wasn't wearing a smile, but more of a concerned look. _

_"Hikaru, Mei mentioned something about you sounding upset over the phone. Are you alright?" She really was concerned._

_"Yeah, I'm fine. Don't I look fine?" Ha, him looking fine? Never in a million years._

_"No, you don't. You look horrible. Have you been sleeping?"_

_"Thanks, Haruhi. I'll definitely come to you next time for a pick-me-up, since you're really good with the compliments and all."_

_Haruhi blinked, staring at him a moment. "You don't have to be rude."_

_"And I have to say the same to you, as well." _

_Haruhi still kept her doe eyes on him, Hikaru feeling his insides literally melt. That look always gave him goosebumps and made him want to pick her up and kiss her. God, did she know what she did him? Probably not; she was oblivious to most things, especially emotions. He watched her turn away and he desperately wanted to tell her all things he was thinking, but he knew he would just get turned down again. She was marrying Tamaki, so of course she wouldn't magically fall in love with him and leave the overdramatic blonde behind. He wished she would though; he wished she would realize what a great guy he was and call off the wedding to elope with him. _

_But Tamaki was the better man._

_There was no competition. _

_He should apologize for being rude._

_Then he remembered something Kaoru said to him a long time ago, back on their 1-A ski trip: "There's no point in wallowing over it now! You can't change what you said! Besides, Hikaru, you've lived your whole life saying rude things to people!"_

_That's all he was- a rude person._

_"Ready to try on the dress?!" Yuzuka asked excitedly, clapping her hands together._

_"Yes, and can we make it quick? There's a sale at the supermarket and I don't want to miss it."_

_No matter what situation Haruhi was thrown in, she would always worry about missing sales..._

**...\~/...**

_They ditched him. _

_They freakin' ditched him._

_Alone...with Haruhi...and she was in her wedding dress..._

_Fuck..._

_"Ow, Hikaru, you poked me...again." Haruhi muttered, her leg jerking up when she felt the pin prick her skin._

_"Sorry..." Hikaru mumbled, the pins he was holding between his lips keeping him from being coherent. _

_She was so beautiful, all dressed up in white. His mother and brother did this dress wonderfully. He had to remind himself of all the nights he'd wake up in the middle of the night to see them both in the studio, busily working on getting the dress just right. And their hard work paid off. Haruhi was gorgeous. But Kaoru had lied when he said he had given him ideas for the dress because he hadn't. Yeah, he thought the dress was pretty and yeah, Haurhi was beautiful in it, but he hated it, too. He hated all the pictures running through his head that pertained to him having to watch her walk down the aisle._

_Not to him._

_To Tamaki._

_"Where did Kaoru and your mom go? They just kind of dashed out of here." Haruhi asked, looking towards the door._

_Hikaru's face fell, though she didn't see it. "Sorry about me being here. Didn't know I was such horrible company."_

_"Hikaru, what's your problem? You're being a jerk."_

_"Yeah, well, what's new? It seems being a jerk is fastly becoming one of my new character traits."_

_He was being harsh. He shouldn't be; she hadn't done anything._

_She fell for Tamaki..._

_Haruhi pushed his hands away, stepping down off the podium. "I'll just go find Kaoru and have him do it." And she started to walk towards the door when Hikaru ran after her, grabbing the ribbons on the back of the dress. "W-wait! I'm...I'm sorry... I'm just really stressed and I haven't been sleeping lately, so I get irritated easily. I'm sorry..."_

_Haruhi whipped around. "How come you're not telling me anything?! It's just like in high school! Remember when I was so worried about you, but you wouldn't tell me anything?! I do!" Her gaze softened. It killed him to see her like this. "What's going on, Hikaru?"_

_"It's just...school..." He had to lie._

_"School? Are you going to game design? Is it really that stressful?" _

_"Yeah, my physics course is a bit tougher than expected, and I've been losing sleep over it." It wasn't really._

_"Oh..." Then, she pointed a finger up like she was making a point. "If you're having trouble, I can always help. I passed my physics course."_

_"Oh...um...no, thanks. I'm fine." Shit, why did he say that all the time? Why couldn't he just say what was on his mind?_

_Haruhi smiled, "Well, the key to passing school is getting a good night's sleep, so don't fret over your class."_

_"Yeah, I won't...promise."_

_Then, she did the most unexpected thing ever._

_She hugged him. He went stiff in her embrace, then slowly returned it, setting his hands on her back awkwardly. When she pulled back, she stood on her tip-toes, planting a kiss on his cheek. "I'm going to go find Kaoru now. Maybe you should go get some sleep; you look tired." And she left him standing there, looking like a fool with his hand pressed against his cheek. _

_She had kissed him. Not a full-blown kiss, but still...a kiss._

**...\~/...**

**Present time.**

"Ripley, please call back. I'm sorry about earlier. I've just missed you and I'm worried about you. Call me back when you get this."

He was getting tired of getting voice mail all the time.

Hikaru sighed, biting the corner of his phone, feeling the plastic indent from the force of his teeth. He pulled it away, resting his head in his hands. Why was she acting like this? He thought they were finally getting somewhere after their "date" on Valentine's Day. He had gotten around to asking her more personal questions, like what kind of romantic things she would want to do if they ended up together. He liked the scenarios she came up with that contained him and her being together, but with her being a writer, he really couldn't be surprised. Hikaru sighed, running his hands through his dark hair. They had actually flirted over the phone...after he gave her a long tutorial on how to actually flirt. But Ripley had a way to make his heart flutter without faking a seductive undertone (which she'd always laugh after doing, which would make him laugh in return). All she had to do was say she missed him or tell him she had thought of him and his heart was beating a mile a minute.

Hikaru looked down at the picture in his hand. A burst of anger rushed through him as he crumpled the photo in his hand, throwing it across the room.

"Goddamn it! Leave me alone! Why did I ever have to meet you?!" he yelled, resting his forehead on his drawn up knees.

It wasn't Haruhi's fault that he couldn't let her go.

"Ripley, c'mon, answer me. I _need _you."

**...\~/...**

_**A Week Before The Wedding; March 13th:**_

_"Kaoru, I heard you have a girlfriend now!" Tamaki exclaimed across the table. "Are you bringing her to the wedding?"_

_Kaoru gave a weak smile, "O-oh, um, I was wondering about that. Is it alright if she comes? I mean, if she does come."_

_"Of course! I want to meet her! What's her name?"_

_"Her name is Clarisse De La Fontaine." Kyoya answered before Kaoru could get a response out. "She's a French model that Kaoru met when her team and designer came here to Japan to model for one of his new collections. As a child, she's starred in several beauty pagaents, and won a majority of them. She's also been a part of multiple commercials and even was cast in a very popular French sitcom. Her parents, Majorie and Claude, are both teachers at an elementary school in Clarisse's hometown."_

_Kaoru's eye twitched, "Senpai, it's kind of creepy how you know more about my girlfriend than I do."_

_"I wouldn't call it creepy, Kaoru, but more cautious. What if she had a criminal record that you didn't know anything of?"_

_"But Clarisse isn't-"_

_"She's shop-lifted twice and has been enrolled in group therapy. Her parents were worried because she lashes out at people for no reason."_

_Kaoru sighed, "She really is nice."_

_"No, she's not. She's a bitch." Hikaru hissed._

_The whole table went quiet, all staring at Hikaru. He didn't regret his words at all, but that wasn't until Kaoru dropped his gaze, his eyes sad. _That's _when he regretted his words. He had met Clarisse and instantly didn't like her. She gave off a bad vibe and he had to admit that his brother smiled a lot more at her than him now. Clarisse was all he talked about now, sounding like she was some kind of blessing. True, she was his first girlfriend, and he was probably excited about the concept, but Hikaru still hated her. He watched her ogle other models, licking her lips like they looked like some kind of treat, and he'd eavesdropped on a conversation where Clarisse was bragging about how she already slept with Kaoru. That made his blood boil; how dare she talk about his brother like he were some kind of prize. _

_"Hikaru, how can you say-!" _

_Tamaki was cut off by Kaoru, "It's okay, Milord, Hikaru is allowed to have his own opinions."_

_Hikaru was furious. He stood up rather abruptly, slamming his hands into the table. Customers in the restaurant were staring at them now. "Fine, if I'm allowed to have my own opinions, I'll tell you what's on my mind! I think she's a horrible person who has no right to have you! How can you go for someone like her?! She's rotten! She...she degraded you in front of her friends... I'm sorry, but I hate her for that."_

_"I thought you would be happy for me, brother."_

_Hikaru felt defeated when Kaoru looked into his eyes with a watery gaze. He looked like he was about to cry. _

_Tamaki stood up, "Hikaru, come on, I'll take you home. You need sleep." he said, grabbing Hikaru's arm._

_Hikaru jerked his arm away, glaring at Tamaki. "I can take myself home. I don't need your help." he growled._

_And he left, leaving everyone behind. _

_God, what was he becoming?_

**_Week Later, March 20th:_**

**_The Most Hated Day Of His Life:_**

_Tamaki was pacing back and forth, beads of sweat forming at his brow. He was so nervous, anyone could tell by the way his movements were jerky and his words came out in a jumbled mess. It was his big day, after all; he had a reason to be nervous. But Hikaru found it pathetic as he stood in the corner of the dressing room, arms crossed. He hated the fact that he was here, ready for his mind to slowly torture him when the wedding actually started. Kaoru was scrambling around, making last minute changes to their tuxedos, currently tying Hunny's tie in the proper way._

_Tamaki suddenly let out a yell, throwing his hands up in the air. "I need to see Haruhi! I want to see her! HARUHI!" _

_Kaoru grabbed him from around the waist, pulling him back. "No, Milord, you can't do that! It's bad luck to see the bride before the wedding!" he exclaimed, his voice reaching that higher pitch. _

_"Oh no, let him. Let their whole marriage be cursed with bad luck." Hikaru said, his tone condescending._

_Suddenly, Tamaki was in front of him, grabbing onto his shoulders. "Hikaru, why would you want our marriage to be tainted with a curse?! Don't you want us to live a long and happy life together! I know, you can move in with us! Will that make you feel better?! Are you feeling like I've been ignoring you lately?! I'm sorry! I've just been busy with the business and the wedding preparations! Hikaru, we'll go have some man-to-man bonding after the wedding! Wouldn't you enjoy that?!"_

_"No, 'cause you're annoying."_

_Tamaki gasped, his eyes filling with tears. "Hikaru, is that what you've always thought of me?"_

_"Yes."_

_"But I thought we were bosom buddies..."_

_"Milord, please don't use the words 'bosom' and 'buddies' in the same sentence. It's kind of disturbing."_

_Tamaki's arm found itself around Hikaru's shoulders, his other hand gesturing outwards, like Tamaki was trying to show him a world that he couldn't see. Hikaru couldn't help but notice how the blonde's mood had drastically changed. "But that's exactly what we are, Hikaru: bosom buddies." Hikaru tried to shift out of Tamaki's embrace, but he failed. "Just imagine us, two fine friends, spending precious time together. We can do manly things, in case tea parties and ballroom dancing aren't your thing, like hunting-"_

_"I'd shoot you in the foot..."_

_"-the elegant art of being an equestrian-"_

_"I'd spook your horse and laugh when it bucked you off..."_

_"-and bowling! I've always wanted to bowl!"_

_"I'd throw the ball at your head..."_

_Tamaki didn't hear him. Drats... The groom turned towards him, hands grasping his shoulders firmly. "Hikaru, even after Haruhi and I get married, I promise to devote my Wednesdays and Sundays to you."_

_"Oh, you don't have to be so generous. I'll live if I never see you again."_

_"Oh, but I must. I've recognized my error in neglecting you and I must fix it. After Haruhi and I's honeymoon, you and I can go camping, how does that sound?"_

_"Can't."_

_Tamaki looked at him with a fallen expression. "What?"_

_"I'm moving to New York. I'm going to study abroad at the Art Institute there."_

_"But..."_

_"And, even if I could, I'd feed you to a bear."_

_Before Tamaki could respond, the door to the dressing room opened, and Syd popped her head in. "Aw man, I was expecting some nudity in here." she said, stepping in. "Tara wanted me to tell all of you that the wedding's about to start, so everyone get into their places."_

_Tamaki started for the door, but while he left the room, Syd slapped his butt. He turned, his hands on his backside, exclaiming, "What was that for?!"_

_"I just thought I'd get it in before you're claimed. I always thought you were easy on the eyes." _

_Tamaki narrowed his gaze, backing away with his front towards Syd, before he bolted off to his station._

_Hikaru sighed, "Here we go..."_

**...\~/...**

_"Would it kill you to smile?" Tara hissed through her teeth as they made their way down the aisle. They were paired up and he was beginning to hate the arrangement. Why couldn't he have been with Momoka or Kimiko? No, he had to be with Tara out of all the bridesmaids. Kyoya and Mei were ahead of them since they were the Best Man and Maid of Honor. Then, it was Kaoru and Momoka, Hunny and Reiko, then Mori and Kimiko. His little sister, Ageha, had already made her way down as the flowergirl, the aisle decorated with ruby red rose petals. _

_"How can I? I'm watching the woman I love being married off to someone else." he hissed back._

_"Just do it."_

_"How about you? You look like you're constipated." He was going to get killed later._

_"At least I'm trying to look happy, jackass. You think I want to be here?"_

_"Yes?"_

_"No, I think this is the biggest goddamn hassle ever. Do you know how long it took me to bake their cake?"_

_"Five minutes?"_

_"Eleven hours. I'm never doing that again."_

_They found themselves at the end of the aisle and Hikaru presented Tara to her spot, bowing slightly before walking off to his spot beside Kyoya. It wasn't moments later when the wedding march began to play, the small orchestra behind them playing it like it was a piece of cake. _

_And there she was, appearing at the end of the aisle: Haruhi. Hikaru glanced over at Tamaki, who was staring at Haruhi in awe. As he looked back at Haruhi, who looked flawless in her wedding dress, had made it halfway down the aisle already. Ranka was grinning, and Hikaru couldn't help but find it humourous how Ranka could go from a glamorous tranny to a rather handsome man. Hikaru had no idea what the relationship between Tamaki and Ranka was, but they always seemed to be in good sorts around each other...though they always seemed to be around Haruhi when they were laughing and having a good time. _

_Tamaki grabbed Haruhi's hand when she reached the front of the aisle, Ranka bowing while he gave her away._

_Hikaru watched as Haruhi smiled warmly up at Tamaki, the blonde squeezing her hand. _

_"Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today in holy matrimony to bring these two bodies in Christ to one. Now, Haruhi Fujioka, you may now announce your vows to Tamaki Suoh." the priest instructed. _

_Haruhi nodded, looking up straight into Tamaki's eyes. "I, Haruhi Fujioka, take you Tamaki Suoh, to be my husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part." Haruhi recited. _

_Tamaki smiled, squeezing his bride's hands. "And now you, Tamaki Suoh, may now announce your vows to Haruhi Fujioka."_

_"I, Tamaki Suoh, take you Haruhi Fujioka, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish; from this day forward until death do us part."_

_They placed the rings on each other's fingers. Hikaru looked down when they did so. Two more steps..._

_"Do you, Haruhi, take Tamaki to be your lawfully wedded husband till death do you part?"_

_"I do."_

_"And do you, Tamaki, take Haruhi to be your lawfully wedded wife till death do you part?"_

_"I do."_

_One more step..._

_"By the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."_

_Hikaru grabbed his shirt that was just above the place where his heart was when Tamaki and Haruhi kissed. His heart pounded and it felt painful. Maybe he was experiencing a heart attack and was going to keel over and die? No, he was still standing when Tamaki swooped Haruhi off her feet, walking down the aisle with Haruhi's arms wrapped around his neck. Everyone was whooping, cheering, clapping, throwing rice and rose petals above them. No, he was still standing when Kaoru pulled him out the church so they could watch Tamaki set Haruhi down in a horse-drawn carriage. No, he was still standing when Tamaki pulled Haruhi in for another kiss, cameras flashing all around them. _

_Why couldn't he just die already?_

**...\~/...**

_**At the Wedding Reception:**_

_He hated everyone in the room. Hated them all. He wished he could curse every single one of them._

_Hikaru tapped the bar counter, a silent signal for another scotch on the rocks. He wasn't exactly new to alcohol; he'd had his fair share of liquor in the past, but he had never gotten drunk, ever. Until now... His mind was spinning, his head feeling lighter than a feather, and he hadn't felt this good in forever. He felt like he could climb a mountain, run ten miles, and save people from a burning building all in five minutes. The bartender slid him another glass full of amber liquid, and Hikaru brought it up to his lips, loving the bitter taste of scotch against his tongue. It cleared his senses and gave him a buzz that he didn't want to get rid of. _

_"Hey, bub, you alright?" the bartender asked, looking over Hikaru's head at all the other wedding guests. He'd had people like Hikaru before, the kind of people that felt lonely and bitter about life, and it was usually because they were in love with the bride or groom. The dak-haired man took a gulp of his scotch, setting the glass down with a bang. _

_"No, I'm not okay! I'm alone and I just watched my first love be married off to a total idiot! Would you be okay if that happened to you?!" Hikaru asked, his voice loud, pointing at the bartender. "And everyone tells me to get over it! Do they..." He paused to hiccup, taking another drink. "...understand the pain and misery I'm going through?! No, no they don't! They are...hic...abso-hic-lutely clueless."_

_People were staring._

_"My little brother, my precious little brother who has a heart of gold, is now dating a woman, who has the brain of a water flea and the morals and values of a whore! How...hic...does that happen?! I don't understand!"_

_"Sorry I asked kid..." the bartender muttered, serving others guests, who were all staring at Hikaru._

_"Wait, wait, wait, don't leave; come back." Hikaru called out, beckoning the bartender over with his hand. "I'm...not done yet..."_

_"Yes, you are."_

_"No, I'm not. I still have a lot to say. Like how that woman broke my heart, not once, but three times!" Hikaru exclaimed, holding up three fingers. "Once when she rejected me when we were first years in high school; a second time when she finally chose that dim-witted fool; and a fuckin' third time today! My...h-heart felt like it was going to explode! KaBOOM! Just...like...that..." Hikaru's words were slurred now. "I have never been so flippin' pissed before. I love her and here I am without her. What the hell is wrong with me, huh?!"_

_Hikaru threw his glass, the glass shattering to pieces when it hit a wall._

_That was it._

_He had to be stopped._

_"Hikaru..." a deep voice said behind him. _

_Hikaru spun around in his chair, looking up to see Mori standing there, adorning a serious expression. Hikaru grinned like a fool, spreading his arms out. "Oh, Mori-senpai, long time no see! C'mere, gimme a hug!" Mori picked up the smaller man, throwing him over his shoulder. Hikaru didn't struggle at all, only laughed as Mori walked towards the exit. "Where are you taking me?! Hey, hey, hey, throw me over the edge of this building! I...I want to see if I can fly!"_

_When Mori threw the doors open, Hikaru looked up. _

_He couldn't see Haruhi._

_He was sober enough to see the look of disappointment and sadness on Tamaki's face._

_He really did wish Mori would hurl him over the side of the building..._

**...\~/...**

**Present Time:**

Hikaru was sprawled out on the floor, his sketchbook in his hand. He lifted it above his face and allowed his golden eyes to scan over his dream girl. Then, he lifted his phone to where it was in his line of vision. He called Ripley a fourth time since their conversation from earlier. After experiencing all those painful memories, all he wanted was to hear her voice, to have her calm him down and soothe him. All he wanted was for her to go back to her normal self.

Finally, his ear filled with chatter and laughing. He could hear Renée on the other end, saying, _"...and then I said, I would rather be hit by a bus driven by my own grandma than see you in your nasty-ass thong._" He couldn't help but laugh; Renée always had the wildest stories. Then, a voice that he didn't recognize filled his ear, "_Kit_ _speaking._" This must be the creepy guy Quin was talking about.

"Who the hell is this? Where's Ripley?" Hikaru growled into the phone.

"_This is Kit, Ripley's lover. Who is this?_"

"This is Hikaru-" He was cut off when Ripley's voice filled his ear. "_Hika, thank God you called!_" She called him Hika, something she hadn't done in awhile. "_Hold on... Kit, if you ever take my phone again, I'll cut off your hands and feed them to the coyotes, got that?_" Then, she directed her attention back to the phone. "_That guy's seriously a creep. I'm so glad you called._"

"I'm just glad you answered. I've been calling you all day."

"_I know. I heard. I would've answered, but Kit stole my phone and wouldn't give it back._"

"Have you told that idiot to get lost?"

"_No..._"

"And why not?"

"_Because I'm five foot two and he's almost six foot, who possesses a violent temper._" Then, she added, "_Hika, are you okay? You sound upset._"

He was scared about what he was going to say next.

He didn't want to lose her.

"Ripley, I need to tell you about the woman I love."

* * *

**MWHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Cliffhanger! Wait, would this be considered a cliffhanger...? I'm sorry about the delay in this update. I lost all motivation about writing it and I was out at my dad's and he loses Internet around night-time and that's when I write, so I couldn't do anything! I'm going to try really hard to post the next chapter because I have Band Week next week and I'm going to be B-U-S-Y! Then, school starts the next... :( I don't want to go back! I feel like I butchered Haruhi's character in this chapter. I feel like I made her too happy, but who wouldn't be when their wedding day is close?**

**Question: What kind of women do you think Kyoya, Hikaru, Kaoru, and Mori would fall for?**

**Author's Note - Fin**


	13. Always Follow A Woman's Intuition

**Step #13**

**Always Follow A Woman's Intuition**

**...\~/...**

**July 24th, 4:34 P.M.:**

"Ripley, I want to tell you about the woman I love."

There was silence over the phone and for a moment there, his heart seemed to stop. He wished he could see her expression, to see whether it was hurt or upset. All he could hear were the loud chatter of the other customers at the mall, fast food workers yelling that there were samples, and chairs being scooted across the ground. He wanted her to say something, anything; heck, he would be okay if he could hear her breathing, but there was nothing. During this silence, he remembered the last two times he had told the women he cared about his story of Haruhi. The first was with Isabel Carter, a young woman he had bumped into at his favorite coffee shop, and had asked for her number. Their relationship had grown to the point he thought about settling down with her, but after he told her about Haruhi, her true self life suddenly became a reality: her having seven kids, already married, living outside of the state of New York, and that she was only conning him for money. The second was Deana, who was so beautiful, kind, and understanding. He had hated losing her.

He hoped he didn't have to make it a third.

Ripley was understanding, though, right? She had listened to him rant about things without judging him or questioning him. She needed to know; she deserved that much. Maybe once he told her what he was holding back, she would return it and tell him why she had been so quiet for three months. Hikaru sat there, listening to silence. What if she was crying to herself because she knew it wasn't her and it hurt. Hikaru felt his whole body ache at the thought.

"Ripley...please...say something." he pleaded, his voice cracking.

More silence.

What would he tell her? How would he word it to make it sound like he loved Haruhi, but still cared about Ripley? Or maybe it was more than just caring for her; maybe he was falling for her. Hikaru dug his fingernails into the tops of his hand, waiting for her to reply. Maybe she really was crying and didn't want to answer with a cracked voice with a possible chance she would sob into the phone? He felt like he was going to cry...

Then, she spoke.

"_Tell me about her._"

And he did. He told her about how Haruhi was the first person to tell he and Kaoru apart, but not because of the parts in their hair or the way they spoke, but their personalities, something that no one had done before. Over their time together, he started falling for her; loved her blunt personality, the way she would fret over the stupidest things, like missing sales at supermarkets or running out of rice, and her cooking. Hikaru relived the painful memory of Haruhi rejecting him when he told Ripley and how he battled for her when Tamaki had finally gotten over his trauma and accepted his feelings for her. "I've wanted her for six years, Ripley; I just can't think of a different girl for me. I'm picky because of her now. I always look for the blunt honesty she had, but girls around here don't have that. They just tell me what I want to hear and not what I don't. Haruhi always had a way of making me realize things and I loved that." Hikaru told her about how envious he was of Tamaki, but how he was happy for him and loved him at the same time. He was a walking contradiction, that's all he was. Haruhi was the reason why he and Kaoru grew up to be individuals, not the same, like they had planned on doing when they were kids.

"_She sounds like a beautiful person._" Ripley said softly.

Hikaru smiled, "She is. She truly, truly is."

There was a silence.

"But then I met you." he said. "You do crazy things to me, you know that?" he added with a laugh.

"_No, I didn't know that._" she replied.

"You do. You make my heart race every time you call or message me, you make me feel warm and give me butterflies. I laugh when I talk to you and you give me hope that I can get through these hard times. God, and your voice. I love how you say my name and the way you say 'Hika' in that adorable way you do. I want you and I need you, but I'm trapped, and you're my only way out. If...if you wait for me just a little longer...I'll be there...with you..."

"_I want you, too._"

And he started crying. He couldn't help but laugh as he watched the tears fall. He didn't know why he was crying; he didn't know if it was from sadness, happiness, or both. That's when he heard crying over the phone and he realized that she was crying too. A sob escaped her and from him as well. They were in sync and he heard Ripley give a small, weak laugh. "_You fool, you made me cry too._" He sniffled, wiping the tears, new ones taking place of the old ones. "At least we're crying together." he replied in a shaky voice. "I wish I was there with you."

"_I wish you were here, too. I just...want to be with you._" Another sob from her.

"We will...I promise..."

"_Hika,_" She was so cute. "_What are you going to do about it?_" she asked.

"About what?"

"_About Haruhi._"

"I-I don't know."

"_You should call her. How long has it been since you've talked to her? Two years? Talking it out is always the best solution. It's hard to make the first move; trust me, I would know, but it looks like she's not going to, so you'll have to. You've stuck yourself in this reality where you think Haruhi's mad at you and that's causing you to not do anything about it. She's not mad at you, though._"

"And how do you know that?" he asked.

"_Kaoru told me._"

"Kaoru?! Since when has Kaoru talked to you?! How come you never told me?! How come _he _never told me?!" Hikaru frowned, shoulders slouching. Kaoru sneaking around his back and talking with Ripley made him uncomfortable and made him feel a little bit betrayed, but he was pretty sure his little brother was just making sure Ripley was good enough for him. Still though, he didn't like the fact Kaoru was talking to Ripley without his consent.

"_We talk on a daily basis. And he's told me _all _your embarrassing stories!_" For some reason, he pictured her with a devilish smile, one that could compete with his own. "_Is it true that you stopped wetting the bed when you were eleven?_" she snickered through the phone. He was glad that she wasn't around her roommates, especially Renee, or else he would never hear the end of it. They all had a tendency to tease him mercilessly.

Hikaru's face burnt with embarrassment. Now he really _was_ going to scold Kaoru. "That's not true! _Kaoru _was the one that always sucked his thumb and he was a crybaby in elementary school, crying over the stupidest things! And...and...he-" He was cut off by Ripley's laughter. "What's so funny! Ya know, I can always call _your _brothers and ask for embarrassing stories!"

"_Relax, he didn't say that. I made it up, but since you acted so defensive, I'm beginning to think I might've hit a sore spot..._"

"You did not! It's all a lie!"

"_I'd love to see your face right now! I bet it's hilarious!_"

"You're so mean to me..." he pouted through the phone.

"_Oh, you know I love you._"

And that's when things got silent. His whole body felt hot and his face felt like it was about to burst into flames. He imagined his face was redder than a tomato, blush spreading out from his ears all the way to his toes. His heart beat against his chest and his body shook, his hand barely able to hold onto the phone it was trembling so bad. What did she mean by 'I love you'? Like, 'I love you as a friend' or 'I love you as a lover'? Ripley was choking on her next words, trying to find a way to explain herself, but all he could do was listen to her words echo in his head. He wondered if she was blushing just like him and he expected her to be doing so. He would've killed to see her red from head to toe.

"Did...you...mean...?"

"_N-no! I meant...I-I, well...I mean... It was truly platonic! It...just..._"

Platonic...?

"N-no, it's f-fine. I was j-just wondering..."

Platonic...

"_I still think you should call Haruhi._" Ripley said finally, interrupting the silence. "_She'd be happy to hear from you._"

"Why are you so persistent in me calling her? You know, most women would try and keep their love interests away from other women. Don't you want me all to yourself?" His voice came out more cracked than seductive, like he wanted it to be, but he figured he really wanted her answer to be 'yes, I do want you all to myself'. But the word 'platonic' kept bouncing around in his mind. That's not the word he wanted to describe their relationship. Platonic meant that they just had friendship and shared a mutual affection for one another. It made his head and heart hurt that after almost seven months with her, that's how far their relationship had progressed. "You're not trying to dump me off on another woman, right?"

"_No, it's just...I want you to be happy. And if reconnecting with the woman you love makes you happy, then so be it. _"

"Ripley..." This woman... "I can't...not alone..."

"_I'll be right here._" Ripley said soothingly.

**...\~/...**

He was going to do it.

He was _actually _going to call Haruhi.

Hikaru looked between the two phones in front of him. Ripley was on speaker phone, ready to listen to him talk to Haruhi over his home phone, which was placed to his left. Just the thought of hearing Haruhi's voice again made his heart race and his palms sweat. Hell, the first time he tried to pick up the home phone, it had slipped right out of his hand and clattered to the floor. Every time he would say he couldn't do it, Ripley would calm him down with soft words. Jesus, he was being such a wimp. Why couldn't he just call her?

"I'm going to do it."

"_Go ahead. You can do it._"

"Are you sure you want me to do this."

"_Yes, I'm sure._"

He was dialing the number, the phone shaking against his ear. "It's ringing..." God, he sounded like such a geek.

While the phone rang, he wondered what Ripley was thinking at the moment. He felt that what she said about him being happy was sincere, but he knew she was keeping a lot of things back. He had to admit, she was good at hiding her true feelings, and sometimes he would be convinced that she was fine, but MJ had coached him to never believe Ripley when the two words 'I'm fine' came out of her mouth. Ripley hated inconveniencing people with her problems, which led her to keep everything bottled up. _Oh, you know I love you. _She had let it slip that she felt something towards him. Hikaru sighed and he heard Ripley say something, but he couldn't make out her words at the moment. There was no way Ripley couldn't _not_ be hurt at what he was doing at the moment, him talking to Haruhi while she listened. And just the thought of him being the cause of that hurt...well, it killed him on the inside. But he had to know...he had to know how she really felt about him. Not Haruhi, but...

"Ripley, do you lov-"

"_Hello?_"

It was Haruhi.

Holy fuck, it was Haruhi.

Hikaru slammed the phone back in the receiver, cutting off the connection.

"_What was that?! Why'd you hang up on her?!_" Ripley shouted.

"I can't do it! I'm a coward! I don't want to talk to her! I'm too chicken and you can't make me!"

"_Hikaru, you can do it! It's just a phone call! Remember when I told you how scared I was to call you? Well, didn't I get over my fear?! You should too! Call her back!_"

"Fine! I can do it!"

"_Yes! Because beside the word 'manly' will always be 'Hikaru'!_"

"Kaoru told you that story?" he asked.

"_Yeah, one out of many._"

"What else has he-"

"_Hikaru, you're stalling! Call her!_"

"Fine, fine, I'm doing it now." He dialed the number again and sat in silence, waiting.

"_Hello?_" It was Haruhi again. He could do this. Ripley was here with him. He could do this...

"Um...h-hey, Haruhi. This is Hikaru."

"_Hikaru? Hikaru! I can't believe you called! I'm so glad you did!_" She sounded so excited. He didn't know Haruhi was even capable of excitement. She had always been calm and level-headed about everything. Though, she was always get a shine in her eyes when she experienced a new type of food, like Spanish tapas. "_It's been so long. What, two years, since the last time we talked? Wasn't it at the wedding?_"

"Yeah, it was. So, uh, how've you been?" He really didn't want to talk about the wedding, especially when he acted so rude to everyone before and during it.

"_I've been well. Classes have been a bit tough since I'm also dealing with a job...and Tamaki...but overall, good. We had lunch with Kaoru yesterday and he said you're taking summer classes. How have they been going?_" He was actually talking to her. He had to wonder what they were actually going to talk about. He didn't think she would want to hear about his artwork or art classes since she was never into such things, and he couldn't talk about his newest video game, being reminded of a time when he showed her one of his games during one of her visits with Mei and Haruhi had nearly been bored to death. He had no job to tell stories about (his job at Nathan's had faded away after Hikaru got bored) and he didn't really go out with anybody. Overall, he was a boring person...

"They've been good. I'm taking another art class, English 101, and a computer operatives class."

"_My co-workers make fun of me because I don't know how to use a computer._"

"Oh, don't worry. I have a friend that's guiding me through all of it. She's a nerd, so computer talk is her second language."

"_True dat. Whoops..._" Ripley muttered a quick apology.

"_Is someone there with you?_" Haruhi asked. She was speaker phone too, so Ripley could listen.

"No! No one's here! Just me!"

"_Hmm, okay... Have you done anything interesting lately?_"

Hikaru felt like this conversation was going to go dead really fast because no, he hasn't done anything interesting. "It's been _way _too hot to do anything. Right now, it's a hundred and ten degrees with humidity. Over here, you step out for five seconds, and you're already sweatin' buckets." Then, he added with a laugh, "My friend's in the arboring business and she has to work in even hotter temperatures. Makes me thankful that I'm rich and don't have to work like her." Ripley was used to this kind of talk.

"_Well, good for her for being a hard worker, unlike some people I know..._"

"Hey, was that a jab towards Milord?" he asked with a laugh.

"_No, that was a jab towards_ you._ Tamaki has a job, remember?_"

"Where would I work? Seriously, do you see me wearing a Mickey D's cap, asking if you would want fries with that?"

"_No, more like a waiter or something along those lines. Or maybe sewage since you're full of it._"

Hikaru let out a laugh, "Fitting, wouldn't it be? I may look into it!"

"_Is it true that there are alligators in the New York sewers?_" Haruhi asked.

"I don't know. That's a question you should ask Syd."

That response led to Haruhi asking about Syd and Johnny being together, which he told her about spying on their first date and helping Syd dress up for the occasion. That triggered a sequence of memories that they shared when they were in high school together and the two years after that. Haruhi asked if he had been on any dates; he told he hadn't been for almost seven months, which was the amount of time he had known Ripley. He was surprised that their conversation was going so well and before he knew it, they were sharing laughs and swapping stories, which led to more and more laughs. He felt a heavy weight lift and he realized that it was because of Haruhi and her uncanny ability to make him feel calm and relaxed. She listened to everything he had to say: his paintings, the people in his classes and how he wanted to befriend some, even the new video games he had been playing, which was a topic he thought would bore her, but she listened to him intently. It was like everything he had built up inside was released with each minute he talked to her. Hikaru loved this; he had wanted this for so long.

He didn't even notice his cell phone lose connection.

Ripley wasn't with him anymore.

He was alone with Haruhi, something he had wanted.

"And I met someone."

"_Your friend that you keep on mentioning?_" Haruhi questioned with interest.

Hikaru suddenly got very excited, straightening in his chair. "Her name's Ripley Barrett and I met her on Red Hue. She's going to be a game designer like me and she's a writer and already guaranteed me a autographed book." And just like he had done with Ripley when he told her about Haruhi, Hikaru let everything Ripley-related spill out. He told Haruhi about the Demonic Brothers and how he might've won them over, but they still gave him a hard time; he talked about how she was scared of the dark and bugs, how her laugh was contagious, and Ripley's obsession with the villains in comic books and video games. And she just listened to him ramble. He liked it. "She's an amazing person, and no matter how many times I tell her, she'll always deny it. I wish she would accept my compliments with a smile, rather than brushing them away."

"_Sounds like she has some self-esteem issues._"

"Yeah, but I'm trying to make her realize that there's no reason to have them."

"_Do you love her?_"

He avoided the question. "Look, Haruhi, I have to go. I have to finish up my assignment. Evening classes..."

"_Hikaru...answer my question._"

"Talk you later, hopefully!" And he hung up on her. Hikaru groaned, rubbing his hands along his face. He hoped she didn't call back, but he had called their home phone, so maybe they didn't have caller I.D. His chest felt like it was going to explode. He had talked to her. After two years of living in despair and sadness, he had actually picked up the phone and talked to Haruhi. She was still like she was back in high school, the same Haruhi he had fallen in love with. Oh God, he hadn't felt this happy in a long time!

That's when he noticed his cell phone.

Ripley wasn't on there anymore.

He called her and grinned when she picked up, "_Hey, Hika..._"

"I talked to her! I really, really talked to her!" he exclaimed into the phone. Hikaru jumped out of his seat and did a dance around the kitchen. "I actually talked to her! And she wasn't mad at me! We had a civil conversation and I didn't make a fool of myself! Haurhi said she was glad that I called and that she was going to visit sometime when her schedule opened up! Oooo, I'm so freakin' happy right now!"

"_That's great! I'm so happy for you!_"

He immediately stopped celebrating.

Something was wrong.

Something was very, _very _wrong.

"Ripley, have you been crying?"

"_Yeah, remember when we cried together?_"

"No, just now. Were you crying when I called you?" Her voice was quiet and she sounded congested. And he could hear echoes, like she was in a bathroom stall or something. "You were, weren't you? Don't lie to me, Ripley." Here he was dancing around and celebrating while Ripley was sitting in the mall bathroom, crying. "Please, tell me what's wrong? Why are you crying?" he asked gently. He wanted her to answer for once, to tell him what was spinning through her high-speed mind. For once, he wanted to act his part and be the one to soothe her and say calming words to her, like she did for him all the time. He heard her sniffle and a strangled sob escape her, like she had tried to keep it back. "Come on, baby, tell me what's wrong."

"_Earlier, when I was talking to you, I escaped to the bathroom so Kit wouldn't bother me. And I lost connection, so I was going to go back out, but I hit my head on the handicap bar they have in the stall. It hurt like hell and I recommend you never do it._"

"So, that's it? You're crying because you bumped your head?"

"_Yes..._"

He wasn't convinced. "Ripley, why can't you lean on me?"

"_What?_"

"I always tell you what's wrong with me and I told you about Haruhi. Do you know how scared I was to tell you because I've lost two very serious girlfriends by telling them about her and I didn't want to lose you? For once, I want you to tell me what's wrong, or is that too much to ask for? _If _we're going to be in a relationship in the future, we need to depend on each other to comfort one another. I've already made that commitment, so why can't you? I feel so useless when you don't tell me anything because I want more than anything to be there for you. Just, please..._please_, let me do that for you. Please..."

She was quiet. "_What have your past girlfriends looked like?_"

"Looked like? Why does it matter?" Okay, now he was confused.

"_Never mind, it was a stupid question. Just...forget I said it._"

"No, what do you mean?" he urged. "My last girlfriend was beautiful. I think she was even asked to model once."

He was careless in his words.

"_...that's what I thought..._"

"What are you thinking? You can tell me."

Over the phone, he could hear MJ calling out for Ripley. No, _no... _He didn't want her to go. He was finally achieving a difficult feat: breaking through Ripley's thick barrier. If they were going to be together, he wanted to train her to the point that she was comfortable in talking to him. "Wait, don't go! Why did you ask?! What are you wanting to tell me?!"

"_Hika, I have to go._" Click...

He let out a frustrated yell, staring at his phone. Why? Why did she ask that? Something must've been on her mind, but what?

Hikaru needed someone to talk to and fast.

That's it. He knew who.

He rushed out of his apartment after grabbing his sketchbook and keys.

**...\~/...**

"I knew you'd come around, Fruitcup. Couldn't resist me, could you?"

"Shut up, Salem, and answer my damn question."

"Touchy today, aren't we?" Salem sighed, stretching his arms on the back of the park bench. "It's hotter than nine Hells out here." he complained, scanning Central Park. People were walking around in tank tops and shorts, trying to beat the heat. Salem watched with a narrow gaze as a man dressed in a suit rushed by with a suitcase thumping against the side of his leg. He'd hate to be a business man today. Sweat rolled off his face, his tongue flicking out to taste salt. This heat was unbearable.

But there was one thing he hated more than the heat.

Hikaru's never ending staring.

It was like the kid was waiting for him to perform a miracle.

"What was your question again?"

Hikaru gave a frustrated sigh. "Why did Ripley say what she did?"

"Oh yeah, the 'what did your past girlfriends look like' question. Gotcha."

"And why did we have to come to Central Park?"

Salem was silent, looking at all the people walking by. For it being over a hundred degrees, people sure didn't seem to care. He did, though; he'd rather be in the air-conditioned kitchen at work. But no, his life couldn't be that freakin' simple. He just _had _to have Hikaru Hitachiin come by and practically drag him into a corner, begging for advice. Salem could feel Hikaru's golden eyes right on him and it was beginning to creep him out. This kid was annoying to the max.

"From one to ten, one being the worst-looking to ten being the best-looking, rate the girls you see pass by."

"Okay... That's a weird request..."

"Just do it."

Hikaru scanned the park, looking for any wandering females. His eyes landed on two women walking their way. "The one on the left a five and the one on the right a nine."

"Why?"

"Great, now he wants an explanation. A nine because she's medium-height, great legs, wears nice clothes, an awesome smile, and obviously takes great care of her hair. A five for the other one because she has bad hair and a bad dye job, her clothes look like she got them from a dumpster, and gross, her teeth are yellow and crooked. Obviously someone can't afford a dentist..."

"Here comes another girl. Her rating?"

"Seven. One, she's wearing clothes from mom's summer collection and they look good on her, and two, she's short, just the right height for girls."

"So clothes make the person?"

"You can always judge a person by their clothing. I mean, look at _that _girl! Bleck, definite two. Looks like dogs dragged her around in the dirt for a few days. And look at her skin! Does she not know what Proactiv is?"

Salem eyed Hikaru, his face straight. He listened intently as the boy rated girls that walked by, complimenting the ones that had a rank above five and acting condescending towards the ones that scored below. Hikaru was one of those people judged people off of looks, not personality, and that was what he was afraid of. The kid seemed to prefer short women to medium or tall heights and he based their character off of their clothes. Salem leaned his head back, now ignoring the kid's ill-mannered prattle. His stormy eyes watched the clouds go by, staring at the blue sky. _Hey, Diana, _he thought, blinking. _Do you hear this kid? Isn't he unbelievable? No wonder that woman asked him that question... Are you thinking what I'm thinking, hun? You were always a good judgement in character. _

"...listening to me?"

Salem didn't need to hear the whole thing to know what he said.

"No, not particularly."

"Then why did you ask me to rate women?"

The older man was quiet for a moment before reaching in his back pocket for his wallet. "Have you ever seen a picture of Diana?" he asked, opening his wallet and slipping out a picture. He handed it to Hikaru, waiting for his response. Hikaru's face twisted in disgust. "She's fat." That was his only comment.

"Watch what you say, Fruitcup, or I'll punch you. She was very sensitive about her weight and you have to remember that she can still hear you. I always said she was 'pleasingly plump'."

"I just say she's fat." Hikaru muttered. "Hey, look, a ten's coming towards us. Total hottie in my opinion."

There was silence between the two, a very awkward silence.

"I've always grown up around beautiful people." Hikaru started, gaining Salem's attention. The ash-haired twin looked bored as he explained. "Mom always told us that you could tell what kind of personality someone had based on their clothes. For example, I wear designer labels, so you can immediately assume that I'm wealthy, and that man over there-" Hikaru pointed towards a man standing at a hot dog stand. "-is obviously not rich. At most, I would assume he's a bank teller on his day off, or maybe a physics professor since I can see a physics handbook for teachers sticking out of his backpack." Hikaru looked forward, watching a woman jog by them. "Everyone in my family is beautiful, the people I went to school with were considered beautiful, and I was always helping the models that worked for my mom look gorgeous. My mom trained me to make people look glamorous and although my mom liked making the dullest of individuals beautiful, I always found them hideous because I _knew _what was under all tha t make-up."

"Should've figured you for a shallow bastard." Salem hissed.

"Whatever..." Hikaru sighed. "Are we done? I'm getting bored."

"Did your question get answered?"

"Nope, but I'll probably figure it out eventually."

Salem felt defeated. "You idiot, Ripley is probably a-!" He was going to say her rating, but he was interrupted.

"Hey, look, here comes a negative ten!"

Salem looked up to see Cassidy heading their way, looking bored. The older man went off and popped Hikaru a good one on the back of his head for ranking her such a low, degrading number. Salem stood up when Cassidy reached them, towering over her. "What do you want?" he asked.

"What's for dinner?" she asked, looking up at him.

"Something normal, but you'll probably make it really weird." Salem answered, snatching the beanie off her head.

"Hey, give that back!" Cassidy shouted, jumping up to get it, but Salem held it out of reach.

He turned to Hikaru, "You may be too stupid to realize it now, but you'll discover the answer to your soon."

Cassidy frowned, looking over at the twin. "Does this have to do with your girlfriend?" she questioned.

"She's not my girlfriend." Hikaru mumbled, a thick blush spreading across his cheeks.

Cassidy just stared at him for a moment before turning back to Salem. "Come on, I'm hungry."

"Alright, quit your whining, twerp."

And they left without saying good-bye.

Hikaru had a feeling they knew something that he didn't.

**...\~/...**

He had called Ripley, but got Renée instead, which was a surprise. She had put the phone on speaker so he could hear everything that was going on and what was happening over in their apartment...wasn't good. Renée had explained that Ripley had locked them out of their room (Ripley, MJ, and Renée shared a room) and they could hear Ripley talking to herself from inside, muttering things like 'I have to tell him' and 'No, I can't; I just can't'. Hikaru couldn't stand it when she talked to herself because that was when she really let all her thoughts escape. All the Barretts did it, he had come to find out, over a game of Call of Duty. Talking to themselves was their way of sorting out their thoughts, but Hikaru just found it weird.

"_Did something happen between you two?_" MJ asked. He could hear Dawn knocking on the bedroom door, calling out for Ripley.

"No, I don't think so." It wasn't his place to tell them about their 'Haruhi' conversation. "Does she do this a lot?"

"_Lock herself in her room? No. Talk to herself? Yes._"

"Tell her I'm on the phone." Hikaru suggested.

"_Wait... Dawn, what is she saying?_" MJ asked.

"_Something about loss of appetite...sleep loss...mood swings...and the rest I can't hear._" Dawn informed.

"_Listen, Hikaru, we'll have to call you back. We need to coax Rip out of our bedroom._" MJ said.

"Yeah...okay... See ya." And he hung up.

What the hell was going on with her?

**...\~/...**

**Somewhere In The Bi-Polar Weather State:**

**July 24th, 8:28 P.M.:**

She was talking to herself again.

It had always been a habit of hers and may be deemed crazy by most people, but it helped her sort out her thoughts.

She was debating with herself now on a very important topic.

Hikaru was experiencing weight loss, loss of sleep, no appetite for a majority of the time, mood swings, loss of interest in his hobbies, and more. Ripley always had to urge him and beg him to eat something, sleep, calm down when he got into his moods, and nag him to do his artwork over the phone, something he had once enjoyed, but he said was becoming boring and a big hassle. "Should I call him? I don't want to bother him... No, I need to. This is important. I need to ask him." she muttered to herself, rocking back and forth in her artist's stool. "C'mon, stop being a chicken and dial. No...no, it's too late. What if he's already asleep? I'll do it in the morning."

Ripley stood up, walked to her door, and unlocked. Opening it caused her roommates to spill in, falling into a pile. She merely stepped over them, mumbling to herself. "What's to eat? I want a PBJ... Ick, now I don't. Yes, I do. I love PBJs. No, I'd rather have cereal. Yeah, cereal sounds good."

"Rip, what are you doing?!" MJ called out.

"Getting something to eat!"

"There's spaghetti on the stove!"

"Thanks!"

Ripley nodded her head as she scooped spaghetti and meatballs into a bowl. "Yeah, I'll call him in the morning...afternoon. Hopefully he doesn't have classes..."

**...\~/...**

**Next Day:**

**July 25th, 10:36 A.M.:**

The phone rang in her ear as she waited for the call. She hated calling people over the phone.

This was important, though.

She needed to do this.

Something had to be done.

Finally, someone answered, "_I swear to God, if you call one more time, I'll find you and shoot you in the fuckin' face!_" a woman yelled into the phone.

Ripley started to panic. "I'm sorry! This is Ripley Barrett! And I need to-!"

Another voice entered the phone, but it wasn't directed towards her but the other woman.

"_Obnoxious woman..._" An annoyed sigh, followed by an equally annoyed, "_Ootori._"

This was important.

She needed to do this.

"My name is Ripley Barrett and I need to talk to you about Hikaru."

* * *

**So, this chapter is very short, but I wanted to get it in before Band Camp, which I hope my teacher gives me a good saxophone this year... -_-' There wasn't much to do with this chapter, so that's why it's so short. The story starts getting good after this...or a least I hope so. Warning though, the next chapter will probably have little to no Hikaru in it because it's a Kyoya/Tara-centric chapter. PLEASE READ THIS! I'm very, very, VERY sorry about what I did with Hikaru's character and making him shallow, but if you think about it, mixed with his childish and bitter personality and the fact that he probably did grow up around beautiful people would most likely make him shallow. I hope you don't kill me bcause I fretted over adding it... D: And I'm very sorry! **

**Alright, and I have to thank you all for reviewing. My goal is 100 reviews or more and all of your reviews are helping me get there. Thank you! And chapter 14 might be up next weekend, but I can't promise anything.**

**Author's Note - Fin**


	14. When In Spain

**Step #14:**

**When In Spain...**

**...\~/...**

**July 25th, 10:04 A.M.:**

**Boston, Massachusetts:**

Tara sat on the edge of the bed, legs crossed, hands placed one on top of the other on her knee. She stared at her reflection in the mirror, eyes boring into her reflection's glare. Most people, judging on her personality, immediately assumed that she had a strong sense of pride and was content with the way she looked. In reality, Tara was just like any other woman on planet Earth; she had her insecurities. Her sandy blonde hair wasn't sitting right today and it was pissing her off, her usual ponytail placed too tight. She looked paler than normal, probably because she'd been so busy and hadn't had a proper amount of sleep in a week. And then there were the dark circles under her eyes, which she was beginning to think were permanent. Kyoya always assured her that they would fade with time, but that had been long ago, and they were still there, taunting her, torturing her. Those circles under her eyes were like bruises that reminded her that she would never fit into society's vision of beauty.

10:05 - the first alarm went off.

10:10 - the second alarm went off.

10:15 - the third alarm went off.

They gradually switched off at 10:20.

Tara continued to glare at her reflection before it turned to 10:21. She heaved a sigh, reaching down at her feet to grab her weapon. The blonde stood up, kneeling on the side of the bed with on knee, and attacked. "GET UP, KYOYA!" she yelled, repeatedly attacking the black-haired lump of a man with a pillow. Pausing to check on her progress, all she heard was a groan, and watched as Kyoya looked over his shoulder, sending his signature death glare in her direction. "Go away, you twit." the man growled before flipping back over.

Glare was not effective...

Pillow Attack!

"Get up! Get up! Get up! We have work to get done! We have trip preparations and shopping to get done! Get up now!" she shouted, smacking him across the back with her fluffy assault weapon. He didn't even budge. Tara let out a frustrated sound, stomping out of the room.

Kyoya smirked. Finally, she left.

His smirk left when he heard an air horn from down below, slowly making its way to his bedroom. Kyoya groaned, covering his head with a pillow, holding it securely and firmly so Tara couldn't rip it away from his grasp. The air horn was right above him, blaring in his ear. Kyoya decided that when the time came where he grew deaf, he was going to blame Tara. Maybe if he ignored her long enough, she'd eventually give up and leave him alone. No, this was Tara; she was stubborn and liked to deprive him of sleep. Though, she would abandon the air horn method sooner or later.

10:26.

Tara used Spatula Smacking Against Frying Pan attack!

Tara missed!

Kyoya retaliated with Rest! His HP recovered!

Tara used Water Bucket Throw!

Oh no! Kyoya's HP drained a little!

Kyoya attacked with Pillow Throw!

Tara dodged!

Kyoya used...Beautiful Secretary Calling attack?

The man sighed, reaching over to his night stand for his phone, his fingers curling around it. "Hello...?" he asked, his voice laced with annoyance. It was too early in the morning for his secretary's peppy voice. "_Mr. Ootori, you finally answered! I've been calling you all morning! Will you be coming in this afternoon?_" she asked, sounding happy and a little too eager. Kyoya glanced up at Tara, who had her arms crossed and foot tapping, looking pissed off. He knew that she hated his secretary.

Kyoya used Revenge!

"I may check in to see how progress is going." he replied, voice smooth, looking straight into Tara's glare.

"_Oh, good! I'll- I mean, we'll be waiting!_" Click.

It was effective!

"I hate her." Tara muttered, casting her eyes downward.

"I know you do."

Kyoya used Seismic Toss!

Tara yelped when Kyoya sat up quickly, wrapped his arms around her waist, and pulled her down next to him, Tara's back pressed flush against his chest. His arms were still around her as he nuzzled the nape of her neck, smirking. "Now, go back to sleep." he mumbled, smelling her lilac shampoo that she used every night. The blonde struggled against him until she finally settled down, huffing. "There's nothing wrong with my secretary. She's not out to get me, I can assure you of that."

"Yes, she is. I saw her trying to undress you with her eyes."

"I'm sure you were just imagining things."

"No, I wasn't. She's a pervert!"

"No, she isn't. You're just jealous because she has more womanly qualities than you."

"Ah hah, so you _do _find her attractive!"

"No, I don't. You know more than anyone else that I'm not attracted to gorgeous women of her kind."

"Are you trying to tell me I'm not beautiful or somethin'?"

Kyoya chuckled, his breath hitting her neck. "No, my love; I find your short-tempered, overbearing, rude personality rather attractive."

"Damn right, you do."

10:36. Kyoya's cell phone rang again. This time Tara grabbed it and answered it without checking the caller ID. "I swear to God, if you call one more time, I'll find you and shoot you in the fuckin' face!" she shouted into the phone. Kyoya growled, reaching for the phone, which was still pressed firmly against Tara's ear.

"_I'm sorry! This is Ripley Barrett and I need to-!_"

"Obnoxious woman..." Kyoya said, prying Tara's fingers off his cell and freeing it from her grasp. With an annoyed sigh, he said into the phone, "Ootori."

A woman's voice, shaky but trying to sound confident, filled his ear. "_My name is Ripley Barrett and I need to talk to you about Hikaru._" Kyoya's dark eyes widened, sitting upright. Wait, Ripley Barrett as in Red Hue Ripley Barrett? Yes, that's exactly who this was. How did she get his number anyways? The last time Kaoru had visited, he had mentioned something about making regular calls to his 'future sister-in-law'. She probably got it through Kaoru. Tara sat up too, whispering, "Who is it?"

Kyoya held up a hand to silence her. "May I ask if you're the Ripley Barrett off of Red Hue?"

"_Yeah, that's me. Did I call at a wrong time?_"

"No, you called at the right time." He pulled the phone away, smacking Tara's hand away. "Would you stop acting like a child?" he hissed.

"I want to talk to the famous Ripley Barrett!" Tara said, grabbing for the phone, but Kyoya knocked it away, so she settled with pressing her ear against the other side of Kyoya's phone, straining to hear the conversation.

"_Hikaru told me about Haruhi._" Her tone was sorrowful and weak, like she felt defeated about something. Kyoya sighed; he had to wonder how he told her about it. Knowing Hikaru, he most likely threw it right at her and not easing it onto her. But he hoped Hikaru had told Ripley that he felt for her as well. Kyoya narrowed his gaze, ignoring Tara and her persistent questions about what Ripley had said and her hearing something about Haruhi. It was probably a good thing Tara wasn't able to hear the conversation. "_And he called her. They talked for a good three hours._"

That wasn't something he'd expected to hear.

"How are you coping?" he asked.

Ripley gave a weak laugh, "_Well, it's kind of hard to hear the guy you really like say he loves another woman._"

"I'm sure it is. Don't tell Tara this, but I would find it rather devastating if she told me she was in love with another man." he replied earnestly. Tara stared at him with a narrowed gaze, then slowly wrapped her arms around him, his hand laying on top of hers. "Though I'm pretty sure I'm the only man who can handle her."

"More like the _only _man who isn't a total dumbass, dumbass." Tara grumbled, pinching his stomach.

"_I won't, but telling you that Hikaru told me about and called Haruhi was only part of this phone call._" Ripley said.

He was quiet and allowed her to continue. "_Do you think Hikaru's depressed?_"

Kyoya looked over, meeting Tara's thoughtful gaze. Then, he said, "I'm assuming you think he is."

"_Well, yeah... I mean, he's showing a lot of the symptoms. Weight loss, sleep loss, lack of interest in things he used to love, ectetera. I checked loads and loads of times to make sure so when I called you I wouldn't sound like a complete idiot. It's just...over these several months, I've felt that his mood hasn't progressed, but recently he's retreating to the way he once was when I first met him. I guess he has a reason; the love of his life did reject him after all. Maybe I'm stupid for thinking that he is..._"

"No, you're not. I couldn't agree with you more."

"_Really? Thank God, I was so nervous before I called because I was scared that I was wrong in assuming he was._"

"His symptoms are true to depression, but I have to say he's improved since last December, and I think you have something to do with his progress, Miss Barrett."

"_Like what? A distraction?_"

"I wouldn't say just a distraction since I feel that he harbors some sort of feelings for you, I can even think his feelings go as far as love, but Hikaru's never been a master at controlling his emotions. I think he's realizing he's falling in love with you, but he feels the same for Haruhi, his first, and is conflicted. It's always been hard for him to let go of people since he grew up with no friends, and I assume he can't let go of Haruhi for that reason."

"_Kaoru did mention that he and Hikaru grew up depending on one another and no one else._"

"I'm going to go make breakfast." Tara whispered, pressing her lips against Kyoya's. Their kiss lingered for a moment before she got off the bed to leave the room.

"Miss Barrett, may I ask you something personal?"

"_Um, I guess..._"

"Are you in love with Hikaru?"

The line was quiet for a moment. "_Heh, I guess I am._"

Kyoya's gaze softened, "You are a very interesting woman, Miss Barrett."

"_Thanks. Hey, do you think you could visit Hikaru some time. I know he's lonely again._"

"Actually, Tara and I are going to spend the month of August in Spain. She has family there and her culinary school is going to give her credit for learning in a foreign country. We were thinking about inviting him along to keep his mind occupied."

"_Sweet! I'm pretty sure it will. He told me he loves Spain._"

They were both quiet.

"_Well, I have to go. I have a class soon so I have to get ready and leave. _"

"Fine by me. Hopefully we can talk another time."

"_Oh...uh...okay._" Silence for a moment. "_Um...bye!_" Click.

Kyoya looked at his phone, smirking. "You truly are an interesting woman, Miss Barrett."

**...\~/...**

**New York City, New York:**

"Oh, hey Tara-senpai." he said into the phone as he used the thumb on his other hand to smudge charcoal into the right angles on his sketch.

"_We're going to Spain in two days, so start packing._"

"Wait, Tara-senpai, you can't just-!"

"_We'll be at your place by ten A.M. on the twenty-seventh. Be ready._" Click.

Hikaru pulled his phone away from his ear, staring at his phone.

What the hell?

**...\~/...**

Spain. His favorite country. Its culture, its architecture, its...everything...wonderful, pure bliss. He and Kaoru had been there so many times, they knew the city of Barcelona like the back of their hands. The way people spoke in that hurried Spanish made him shiver in the good way, and he had to admit that when Tara spoke Spanish, he was in heaven. Even though it took a moment for Tara's call to sink in, he was now rushing around his apartment, throwing things into bags, excited. Spain, one of the most romantic countries in the world. He had taken Deana there once and she loved it the moment she set her feet on the ground. They had had a great time, and that was also when he had his first thoughts about marrying her and finally settling down. But now he was having other thoughts. If he and Ripley did get together, he wondered if she would travel with him, and whether or not if she would like Spain. He hoped she would...

That's when his phone rang.

Ripley...

"What's up?" he asked when he answered.

"_I hate my life._" she said in a monotone voice.

Hikaru straightened, his mind immediately wandering to the day before when he had finally told her about Haruhi. The phone call to Haruhi and both the conversations he had had with Ripley before and after the phone call had bounced around in his head, wanting so desperately to make sense. First, Ripley had listened to everything he had to say about Haruhi, then she persisted in him calling her and making small talk. The call with Haruhi had gone wonderfully, unlike anything he had ever imagined, where his imagination had always thought up the worst case scenarios. Afterwards, was his second call to Ripley, which he had thought would be one full of congratulations, but he had found her crying, claiming that she just injured himself.

He wasn't as stupid as everyone thought him out to be.

He knew that him being in love with Haruhi bothered her.

But she was willing to set aside her happiness to make him happy.

She reminded him so much of Kaoru sometimes, who had done the same thing so many years ago.

"What? Why?" Maybe he yelled that into the phone a bit to urgently...

"_I have a speech coming up in one of my classes. I'm going to die of embarrassment._" That was it? A speech?

"God, Ripley, you almost gave me a heart attack. I thought it was about Haru-" He stopped himself.

"_What were you going to say? Haruhi, right?_" Then, she gave a small laugh. "_Don't worry; I'm cool with it._"

"Are you really, though?" he questioned gently. Maybe if he coaxed her enough, she would finally open up.

"_Yeah, I am. You worry too much._"

"I have a right to be. Remember, I lost two other girlfriends due to telling them about her, and I'm not really keen on the idea of losing you, either."

"_We aren't exactly dating..._"

"Still..."

"_Please, just trust me when I say that I'm okay with it because I really am._"

"Then why were crying yesterday?"

"_This is not where I wanted this conversation to go..._" she mumbled into the phone. "_Look, I don't really want to talk about it._"

"Well, I do."

"_Well, I don't. All I wanted to do was tell you I'm going to die in three days, so you better tell me everything you've always wanted to tell me now._"

He decided to go with it and drop the Haruhi subject. "I'm going to Spain." he chirped happily, rooting through his drawers for clothes.

"_Out of all the things you could've told me, you chose to rub it in my face that you're going to Spain? No love confession, or something profound?_"

"Romantic, aren't I?" he teased with a grin. He found it funny how quickly their attitudes could change. He liked that. Nothing ever stayed too awkward or serious. Perfect.

"_Oh yes, very. All of the ladies in my class are very jealous about how romantic my potential Red Hue soul mate is._"

"I bet they are. I bet they wish they had a handsome, romantic, hilarious man in their life."

"_You're so full of yourself._"

"Yes, but you love me for it. Remember how you confessed your love for me yesterday?" he asked cheekily, grinning as he walked over to his closet.

"_...that wasn't a love confession. That was a slip of the tongue._"

"Just admit it already, you love me."

"_You first._"

Hikaru stopped suddenly.

Should he?

Was it time?

Maybe it was...

"_Oh shit!_" Ripley shouted into the phone.

"What?! What's happening?!"

"_I'm going to be late to lunch with the Roomies! I'll call you later, okay?_"

"Yeah, that's fine. Have fun, okay?"

"_I will. Oh, and we'll have to talk over Red Hue when you're in Spain because I can't make international calls._"

"You're going to be late."

"_I'm just saying... Oh, and-_"

"I'm hanging up now. You need to hurry up or you'll be late!" he laughed.

"_Fine! Goodbye, then!" _Click.

**...\~/...**

**July 27th, 9:30 A.M.:**

Hikaru didn't have time to open the front door before Tara did, who was kneeling on the floor with a bobby pin. Kyoya stood behind her with his arms crossed, light reflecting off his glasses. Hikaru narrowed his eyes, frowning. "Kyoya-senpai, I wish you would control your girlfriend. She's going to get arrested someday." he said. Kyoya returned the frown, replying, "You don't think I've tried?" Kyoya was annoyed, no doubt about it. He must've been irked about getting up so early. Knowing Tara, she probably flipped the bed over in an attempt to get him up. She was one of the only people that wasn't effected by his death glare; she found it more infuriating than anything else.

Tara stood up, pushing past Hikaru. When she saw the amount of luggage he had, she stopped in an instant. "Hikaru, we're going to Spain for a month, not for the rest of our lives."

"Well, I just wanted to make sure I had enough."

"You have...seventeen, eighteen, nineteen...you have twenty-one bags. And what in the...? Do you have a body in that one?"

"No... Um, that's my hair products..."

"Your hair care-! Dear lord, and to think I'm the woman here. I pray for Ripley when you two actually start dating." Tara muttered, touching her forehead, stomach, and shoulders in a cross motion. "Dear God, please give Ripley the power of patience and to me as well 'cause I already want to strangle him." Tara gestured towards the bags, "Lower it down to five bags. Take things that you _need._"

"I _need _this stuff." Hikaru retorted.

"Hikaru..." a voice behind him said. The cool, yet irritated voice of Kyoya caused the hairs of the back of Hikaru's neck to rise. "Narrow it down."

"Yes, sir." And he started immediately.

Tara gaped, "You listen to him, but you won't listen to me?! What the hell?!"

Hikaru looked up at her. "He has the power to summon demons from Hell; you don't."

The blonde opened her mouth to say something insulting, but instead she said, "Touché."

**...\~/...**

**August 2nd:**

_Dear Ripley, _

_I am so, so, so, SO sorry I haven't been able to message you. I've been so busy this past week, it's not even funny. The moment we touched down, Tara's Aunt Alejandra threw us into her car, drove us to her house, and put us to work. Alejandra owns her own restaurant and Tara is "studying" (she already knows how to cook Spanish food, but Tara said she didn't so she can get credit) under Alejandra. She made Kyoya and I waiters, even though I don't know any Spanish whatsoever. Kyoya knows a bit because of Tara. We've run errands everyday, Tara's been trying to teach me common phrases that I need for the job, Alejandra's granted us some time to explore Barcelona, and every night, I just pass out. So again, I'm sorry for not messaging you. _

_Anyways, como estas?_

_From,_

_Hikaru_

**...\~/...**

_Dear Hikaru,_

_No, that's fine. I've been pretty busy as well. I had exams the other day to mark the end of summer classes. That speech I was telling you about was my exam. I got a B- on it because I stuttered a lot and I even had to pause to gather my thoughts and everything. Never taking a speech class again. Now, I have to take a math class, a CAD course, another art class, and Russian 101. So excited for Russian! Though I probably won't meet an actual Russian... That saddens me... So, I'm going to be loaded with homework, plus my new job. The arboring business has to go on hiatus for awhile. Not enough money, so we're all working at Kraft. It's like we're continuing the many generations of Kraft workers. The place does pay good money. _

_Estoy cansada y enferma. (I'm tired and sick.) Took three years of Spanish in high school. Plus, I have a cold right now._

_From,_

_Ripley_

**...\~/...**

_Dear Ripley,_

_WHAT?! The business had to go on hiatus?! But...but... It's going to be so weird about you not talking about the business. Well, at least I don't have to constantly worry about you cutting off a limb or falling out of tree or something. How's your dad coping about it? He must be pretty busted up about it. And four classes?! Are you sure you're going to be able to keep up with it. I can barely keep up with one sometimes... I've been to Russia a couple of times. They're very strict about tourists and hate it when you goof off. Kaoru and I found that out the hard way when our class in middle school went on a bonding trip there. The accents were cool though, but Russian is known to be a harsh language. Everything they said made me feel like they were insulting me or something. German's the same way._

_If you hadn't told me what that meant, I would've been clueless._

_From,_

_Hikaru_

**...\~/...**

_Dear Hikaru,_

_Why are we still using 'dear' and 'from' in our messages? Yeah, dad's pretty upset about it, but he's taking online gunsmithing courses, so he can train under his friend afterwards. Compeitition got too much and people started hiring us less and less. Bastards, all of them. Dad broke up with his girlfriend...again...because of not having a job right now. She thinks she needs to be supported at all times, rather than getting a job of her own. Lazy bitch... I hate that woman just as much as you hate Kaoru's girlfriend. Oh, you won't believe it, but Mark got a girlfriend. And she's actually cool this time. Mark has a tendency of picking the freakiest of women and they're usually all rude, but this one's really nice. And she's a book editor, so she told me that if I ever complete a novel (in progress), she would look it over for me. And yes, four classes. I'm actually kind of pumped up about them. _

_Ha, I know more Spanish than you~!_

_Oh, and how's Spain, despite all the grueling work you've had to do. You told me once that you love Spain._

_And way to go, rubbing in the fact that you've traveled the world and I have not. Nicely done, nicely done._

_From,_

_Ripley_

**...\~/...**

_Dear Ripley,_

_I don't know why; maybe we're using them for old times sake? I never would've guessed you would be capable of so much hate for someone. Mark? A girlfriend? No way. It can't be possible, but lucky for you that she's an editor. Kind of convenient, is it not? I'm kind of scared to ask, but what were Mark's past girlfriends like? And what is up with all these really rude girlfriends? Let's see, there's your dad's girlfriend, all of Mark's girlfriends, Clarisse, all my past girlfriends (a couple are an exception), and for anyone else in the world that has a rude girlfriend. Well, have fun learning a language you'll probably never use!_

_Oh, ha ha, aren't you smart?_

_Spain's fine, but it's kind of nostalgic. Everywhere we go, I usually think of Kaoru, since we come here together a lot. I have a lot on my mind right now. _

_Aren't I a bastard?_

_From, _

_Hikaru_

**...\~/...**

_Dear Hikaru,_

_One of Mark's girlfriends was covered from head to toe with tattoos. Now, tattoos are fine, but they were tattoos of her past boyfriends' faces. And Mark's face was on her leg! It was the weirdest thing ever. I asked her once why she didn't get them removed and she told me they were reminders of all the assholes she dated. I was like, "Ooookay..." Another girl cried a lot. Crying's not so bad, but she cried every five minutes, I'm NOT kidding. You can ask MJ; she'll vouch for me. His previous girlfriend was like Quin, so she wasn't so weird, but Mark broke up with her when he found out that in order to live with her, he'd have to sleep in the same bed with one of her snakes. I guess sleeping with snakes is kind of weird... And I will have fun learning a language I'll probably never use!_

_Yes, I am smart. Smarter than you._

_What's on your mind?_

_Yes, yes you are._

_From, _

_Ripley_

**...\~/...**

_Dear Ripley,_

_Sounds like Mark's girlfriends had some issues... _

_At least I understand chemistry._

_You're starting to sound like Tara, which is kind of scary, not gonna lie._

_From,_

_Hikaru_

_P.S. I have to go because Alejandra wants me to work the dinner shift, so that's why this message is so short._

**...\~/...**

**August 13th:**

_Dear Hikaru,_

_Russian 101 is AWESOME! And all my others classes are alright. CAD course is kind of difficult because the teacher speeds through everything and it's hard to keep up, but the people that sit around me are pretty cool. Other than that, the week's been pretty chill. Although, my new job is pretty rough. I work with a lot of people my mom used to work with so they've been helping me a lot, but the work is horrible. Bruises, burns, cuts, you name it, I probably have it. Factory work's more gruelling than being a waiter... How's Spain now? Still making you nostalgic?_

_From, _

_Ripley_

_P.S. Fun Fact: I still have that fat Spiderman picture you gave to me a long time ago. I completely forgot I put it in my wallet._

**...\~/...**

_Dear Ripley,_

_Spain's okay. Routine the past to weeks: job, some touring, errands, talking to you, Spanish lessons, then sleep. Um, excuse me, but being a waiter can be hard work too, especially when two equally scary individuals (Tara and Alejandra) are ordering you around. One slip up and it could be the end of my life. And great, now I'm going to be worrying about you getting hurt at your new job. Just when I thought I could relax and not have to think up all the worst case scenarios that consisted of you losing limbs or important organs or something. Why can't you work at a cafe or flower shop, something that isn't life-threatening? Even though I love Spain, I'm ready to go home. I don't know, but I'm not enjoying the trip as much as I thought I would._

_From, _

_Hikaru_

_P.S. Question to your Fun Fact: Do you also have that Flash picture I sent you?_

**...\~/...**

_Dear Hikaru,_

_I'm sorry you're not enjoying Spain, but I'm sure it'll get better in the next week or two. Sounds like you have a busy schedule, too. How's your Spanish going? Russian's going great; did I mention something about it because you didn't answer. My boss is okay. He's nice enough, but he's just like any other Kraft supervisor - stupid, arrogant, and rather annoying. And I think it would be fun to work in a café or flower shop, but I'm not going to, so don't worry. _

_From,_

_Ripley_

_P.S. Answer to your Question to my Fun Fact: Yes, I do, but I like the fat Spiderman picture better._

**...\~/...**

_Dear Ripley,_

_Wait, do you know something about Spain that I don't? Is something supposed to happen that I don't know about?_

_From,_

_Hikaru_

**...\~/...**

_Dear Hikaru,_

_Seriously, that's all you say? And no, I don't. Saying your trip will get better is just a kind thing to say._

_Hey, I have to go so I'll talk to you later. I'm on my break at work right now. _

_From,_

_Ripley_

**...\~/...**

**August 25th:**

_Dear Ripley,_

_YOU DID KNOW SOMETHING! My hands are shaking so much I can't even type. So, this morning I woke up and I felt someone in my bed, and I was about to attack them because I thought it was some kind of creeper, but it was Kaoru! He came to Spain! So that's why I came up with the conclusion that YOU KNEW SOMETHING! It wasn't only Kaoru though; Hunny, Mori, and Hunny's wife, Reiko came too. And Tamaki...he came too... I've taken three pain killers and I still have a pounding headache. Tamaki's been practically bouncing off the walls since he got here and he's beginning to get on my nerves. Don't worry though, Haruhi's not here. Tamaki said something about her being too busy to come to Spain. Guess what! She called me again to apologize about her not being able to make it! I love how we're able to just pick up our old friendship after two years of not talking to one another. _

_From,_

_Hikaru_

**...\~/...**

_Dear Hikaru, _

_Yeah, I did know something. Kaoru called me and told me that he was going to Spain to visit you. He also mentioned something about leaving his girlfriend behind so you two could have some brotherly bond time. :D Hey, did he tell you about his new assistant? I guess she's an ultra feminist and has been causing trouble for his girlfriend, saying that she needs to be independent rather than dependent. Pretty funny in my opinion. Hika, I wouldn't have worried if Haruhi had been there. Like I said, I'm okay with it. And congrats on talking to her again! You two must've had a pretty strong friendship to just be able to pick up where you left off. _

_From,_

_Ripley_

**...\~/...**

_Dear Ripley,_

_Are you sure you're okay about Haruhi? _

_From, _

_Hikaru_

**...\~/...**

_Dear Hikaru,_

_Yep! I most definitely am! So, do you guys have another scheduled phone call?_

_From, _

_Ripley_

**...\~/...**

_Ripley, _

_It bothers me how you're not telling me that you're bothered by it. Why can't you just tell me the truth?_

_Hikaru_

**...\~/...**

_Hikaru, _

_Hey, just believe me, okay? _

_By the way, I have a surprise for you! _

_But I won't tell you until the 30th, the day before you leave from Spain. _

_- Ripley_

**...\~/...**

_Ripley,_

_Why the 30th?! Why can't you tell me now?! I hate suspense!_

_Hikaru_

**...\~/...**

_Hikaru,_

_Ah, suspense... What a splendid thing!_

_- Ripley_

**...\~/...**

**August 30th:**

_Ripley, _

_It's August 30th! What's the surprise?!_

_Hikaru_

**...\~/...**

_Hikaru,_

_Well, one of the reasons I applied at Kraft is because they pay good money. I get my paycheck every two weeks. Today, I checked my bank account and I now have around a thousand dollars. Yesterday, I signed up for a trip to see New York City's Art Institute campus, just so I can keep my options open in case I transfer. Believe it or not, I have a potential Red Hue soul mate that lives in New York City._

_So, in other words, I'm coming to visit you in about two weeks. September 10th to be more specific. _

_WE'RE FINALLY GOING TO MEET!_

_- Ripley _

**...\~/...**

His heart nearly burst when he read that.

* * *

**I'M BAAAAACK! So, chapter 14 was supposed to be a Kyoya/Tara chapter, but I lied. My bad! I lied about a lot of things in last chapter's Author's Note. Never, ever take my notes to heart because I usually don't follow them. Anyways, chapter 14! And Hikaru and Ripley are going to slightly meet in the next chapter! WOO! Excitement! I hope the get the next chapter done in...about...the next year maybe. It seems whenever I give myself a deadline, I never meet it, so I thought a year would give me a little room.**

**Have a nice day!**

**Author's Note - Fin**


	15. First Of All, Stop Worrying

**Step #15**

**First Of All, Stop Worrying**

**...\~/...**

**September 10th, 9:36 A.M.: **

If Kyoya Ootori were to write a book, it would definitely be about the many ways to handle Tara and her nervous breakdowns. Now, she was already overly aggressive when she was calm and had the habit of resorting to violence before settling on diplomatic matters, but when she having a breakdown, her normal behavior was like on fast forward. He would title that book 'How To Deal With Tara Marie Alexander When She's Insane and How To Handle Her With Care'. The title was a work in progress, but it was temporary, yet straight-forward. His book would contain symptoms of Tara's breakdown and how to deal with them. Here are the five that would be the most highlighted:

1. Tara tends to talk a mile a minute. Listen to her and be on guard at all times.

"He got me up at three in the morning, in a panic, saying 'Tara, I don't have a date plan! Every date plan I have has a bad case scenario that consists of Ripley dying or being bed-ridden for the rest of her life! What do I do?! What do I do?! I don't have a dinner plan! I can't even cook! What if she finds culinary men hot?! She's going to find me ugly if she does because I CAN'T COOK! You need to come over and help me clean and rid my apartment of anything that makes it look like a rich person doesn't live here!' to which I replied, 'Hikaru, she knows that you're rich, so don't worry. She's completely and totally fine with it. Calm down.' Kyoya, he didn't calm down; he continued to shout in my ear about things he needed to get done!"

"You didn't answer my question."

"What was it again?"

"Why do you smell like vomit?"

"Oh! This is the zinger of the story. So, I go over there, right? He opens the door and I immediately see that his face looks green. 'Hey Hikaru, you look like you're about to puke.' Bad idea to say that, Kyoya, fuckin' bad idea! Because he says, 'I'm about to...' and he does! He pukes right on my shoes! Kyoya, look at my shoes! Don't ignore me! Look at them! These are Prada; not only are they Prada, but they're _new Prada. _I just got these! So, my first reaction is to not comfort him and tell him everything's going to be okay; no, my initial reaction is to punch him in the face! Now Hikaru has a shiner and Ripley is going to come over and think I'm an abusive bitch!"

2. When Tara says she has a gut instinct, believe her because she's usually right.

"Kyoya! I'm nervous! There's this little voice in my head that's telling me to not have Hikaru and Ripley meet, to sabotage their meet. My gut has been twisting and churning and knotting all morning! You want to know why? Nod your head, Kyoya... NOD YOUR HEAD, RIGHT NOW! I was going through his filing cabinet with all his pictures and I found this!"

Tara tapped a manila folder that was stuffed with Hikaru's pictures. "I found his 'dream girlfriend' assignment! This is bad because it's a mixture between Haruhi and Ripley, but this isn't how Ripley looks like! We both know that! And Hikaru's a shallow bastard! Like yo- I was going to say 'like you' but then again, you're not shallow. A bastard, yes, but not shallow. I mean you wouldn't be dating me if you were..."

"Get on with your story, love."

"Right! It's just that when Hikaru doesn't like someone, he tends to let them know! And I don't want that to happen when they meet! My gut, Kyoya, my gut! I need to obey it!"

3. Tara tends to throw in confusing analogies in her long, nervous lectures. Ignore them, but nod occasionally.

"He asked me to ask breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, and dessert for them! What am I supposed to cook?! Ripley's probably not used to fine cuisine! Do you know when the last time I've actually stopped at a hot dog stand and got a Chicago-style hot dog was?! Before I met you! If it wasn't for your fine palette, we would be having macaroni with chopped up hot dogs in them! You ass, you make me miss my childhood! You can't just take a person like Ripley, who doesn't eat fancy cuisine on a daily basis, and plop them in front of legit Italian! That's like taking a beginner cyclist with training wheels and shoving them off a cliff to see if they live or not! I can't do this! This is too much pressure! I've cooked for you and those nasty-ass people you call friends and celebrities and lords and every other bastard with fancy fuckin' pants without the blink of an eye! All you have to do is make food like pretty and they think it's high quality!"

4. Common insults are as following:

"Dumbass!"

"Fuckwad!"

"Asshole!"

"Bastard!"

"...*insert degrading title here*..."

5. Hand her a cup of coffee. She'll calm down.

Kyoya held out a thermos of black coffee.

Tara took it graciously.

"Thanks. I need this."

**...\~/...**

Hikaru immediately answered his phone, the vibration from it startling him out of his thoughts. He hoped it was Ripley calling in to tell him where she was. Since she wasn't the only student coming to New York City's Art Institute, they all took a bus to cut all costs. The last time she had called, they had stopped at a hotel for the night. Hikaru couldn't help but blush when he remembered Ripley's teasing voice, telling him that she should stay with him for the week. He had agreed in an instant. Thankfully, Kaoru was also staying here, so he would reduce any embarrassment or tension between him and Ripley. Just the thought of having Ripley staying with him set his body on fire.

"Hello?"

"_Hey, Hikaru, this is Haruhi. I wasn't sure if you had my cell phone number._"

"Oh, uh, n-no I d-don't. Thanks…" Why did he have to start every conversation sounding like a stuttering fool?

"_I just wanted to tell you that we'll be there in a few hours. Our flights got switched to a later time. We should be in New York by four o'clock._"

"Ripley said she was going to get here around four, too."

"_Hikaru, I'm glad that you two are going to meet. It'll be good for you._"

He couldn't decide what he was more excited about: finally getting to meet Ripley or reuniting with Haruhi after two, long years.

"_I have to get off now. We're about to board the plane. See you in a few hours._"

"Yeah, see ya later." Click.

His heart was racing, palms clammy from sweat. He didn't know whether to be glad or bothered by the fact that Haruhi could still make him feel this way. No, he _had _to be bothered by it. Here he was, about to meet a woman who had the potential to be his lover, and he was still in love with a woman he couldn't have. Since August 30th, he had figured out a lot about himself on his own that he had been scared to admit since the day he met Ripley. He wasn't afraid to admit that he was pathetic for not moving on anymore. In fact, he embraced that about himself, and he aimed to change that. Today was about meeting Ripley, not Haruhi. Hikaru sighed, running his fingers through his hair. He half-wished Ripley wouldn't come. He didn't want her to see him like this. Hikaru had looked in the mirror earlier, noting how tired he appeared. Dark bags hung under his eyes, his golden eyes looking lifeless, and his skin was pale and damp with sweat. Since Ripley's announcement, his mind hadn't let him get a proper night's sleep, thoughts and ideas keeping him awake.

"Hikaru, maybe you should get some more sleep." a voice said from the door.

Hikaru looked up to see Kaoru standing there, hand still pressed against the kitchen door from opening it, a smile gracing his face. The younger twin approached the older, sitting opposite him at the kitchen island. Unlike Hikaru, Kaoru looked lively, eyes shining with excitement, body not sagging from fatigue.

"No, I'm fine. I just can't believe I'm actually going to meet Ripley."

"I can't wait. Just don't screw it up."

"What a great thing to say to your already nervous brother. I have to thank you for that."

"Any time, brother!"

Hikaru couldn't believe it had been nine months since he applied for Red Hue. Nine months of forming a close relationship with another woman. Nine months of depending on her to pick him back up when he felt like the world was too much for him. Nine months of having her listen when no one else would. Hikaru smiled when he compared his present self to his pre-Ripley self nine months ago. He remembered how he just wanted to give up, but then she had sent him a message. Then, he just had to read it and reply, leading him wanting to find out how she would respond. Hikaru could remember their first conversation about their different views on chemistry and their five questions to each other. Those messages gave him a reason to keep going; he couldn't give up just yet. Then, there was their first phone call. Their long conversations calmed him down, distracting him from all the wicked thoughts he had whirling around in his mind. Her voice soothed him, calming him down in a way no one else could.

He was addicted to her.

Those three months that she hadn't talked to him, his life had begun to revert back to the way it once was: lonely, miserable, and cold. He was scared to death of his old self and all the thoughts he used to have. Ripley had helped him escape that life and he wanted her to be with him always now.

"Tara called me and told me that the café is going to hold a welcoming party for Ripley." Kaoru said.

"Really?"

"Yeah, they're almost as excited as us."

Everyone wanted to meet her. They all remembered the hardships he had gone through before and were amazed that one woman could change him for the better. Ripley was sometimes the only thing he would talk about, everyone listening to him ramble on and on about her. He'd have to thank them all later.

"Tara's frustrated, though. She doesn't know what the cook for Ripley. She kept on saying something about how she couldn't throw a simple woman like Ripley into fine cuisine. I don't know what she means, but whatever. What's Ripley's favorite food?"

"Chicken alfredo."

"Tell Tara that."

There was a knock at the front door and Kaoru rushed out to get it. A moment later, the kitchen door burst open, revealing a very enthusiastic Hunny, a stoic Mori, and a very pregnant Reiko, who had her hands clasped over her bulging stomach. Sometimes, Hikaru still couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that she and Hunny were going to have kids. Ugh…it made him shudder just thinking about what they had to do…

"No, Momo, I'm in New York right now. What?! Tell that old hag to settle down or… I'm hanging up now. Buh-bye."

Hikaru watched as Mei Yasumura walked in, looking glamorous as always, though he couldn't help but cringe at all the make-up she was wearing. After all these years, she was still a keba. You would think that a world famous fashion designer would learn some proper make-up techniques. Behind Mei, a flash of red caught Hikaru's eye, and Ritsu Kasanoda himself came lumbering in, lugging around at least a dozen bags. His face was as red as his hair from the work he had done. Kasanoda gave a sigh when he set the bags down, panting slightly from struggling with all the luggage.

"Why'd you bring your luggage up here? You're not staying here." Hikaru said, cheek rested in his palm.

Between pants, Kasanoda replied, "These are clothes for your friend. Mei wanted her to have them."

Mei added after snapping her phone shut, "Haruhi refuses to model for me, so I thought your girlfriend could. Give her a little taste into the world of fashion, especially since her future brother-in-law is a famous fashion designer." Mei lifted her sunglasses up, smirking, "How are you Hikaru?" she asked.

"Good. Glad to see you're still using insane amounts of that tacky make-up." he replied back, a smirk of his own forming on his lips. "Those fake eyelashes look even faker."

"And what about the bags under your eyes…hideous…" Mei retorted with a snort. She then snapped her head towards Kasanoda, "Red, are those all the bags? Why are you still sitting there?! There's at least four more!"

"Mei…I need a break…"

"No! Ugh, never ask a man to do a woman's job." Mei muttered, heels clacking as she walked out the apartment door. Kasanoda bowed deeply towards everyone before hurrying after his girlfriend. Hikaru could remember the time he and Kaoru forced the two to bump into one another. Mei, at the time, was a budding fashion designer, and Kasanoda, who was studying business, was a the first poor schlub that Mei could get her hands on since no one would model for her. One thing led to another and the two ended up as a very odd, yet unique couple.

Kaoru turned to him, smiling, "Almost everyone's here. All we need are three more people."

Hikaru gave a soft smile in return, "Yeah…"

He couldn't ignore the fast pace of his heart.

**…\~/…**

"Kaoru, does this look expensive to you?" Hikaru asked, staring at the large wall map Mori had gotten him so long ago for Christmas. Kaoru stepped up beside him, tilting his head. "Mori-senpai said something about getting it from his trip in India. Maybe I should take it down; it looks expensive."

"No, it makes you look scholarly."

Hikaru stared at the map, cupping his chin. "Nope, not working for me. Help me take it down."

"Why?! Doesn't Ripley like intelligent men?"

"Well, yeah, but I don't want to make her feel stupid."

"Way to be condescending…"

"I mean…! Gah! I can't do this!"

Hikaru slumped down to the floor, holding his head in his hands. Kaoru slid down the wall beside him, staring worriedly at his brother. "What can't you do, Hikaru?" This in itself was a stupid question; he knew exactly what his brother was feeling at the moment. Hikaru had always had an overactive imagination, usually a very pessimistic one. He was worried about how his week with Ripley would be and whether or not he would say something degrading and leave Ripley feeling offended. Kaoru grabbed Hikaru's hand, intertwining their fingers. The older twin's hands were sweaty and gross, something he hoped Ripley wouldn't mind if she and Hikaru held hands at all during this week. Great, now he was starting to worry as well.

"I can't meet her right now. I'm a disaster."

"Hikaru, no you're not. You're just being dramatic. You're just fine. You have me now and I can patch you up before she gets here, but I'm pretty sure she wouldn't care if you have bags under your eyes or if your hair wasn't in place. I feel like Ripley just wants to spend time with you."

Hikaru rested his head on Kaoru's shoulder. "Want to take my place?"

"And risk Ripley falling in love with a sweetie like me and not a sourpuss like you? No thanks."

"Go ahead. I'll probably say something stupid and she'll run to you anyway."

"I highly doubt that."

"Watch me."

**…\~/…**

Hunny's legs swung backward and forward as he clung to his stuffed bunny. He watched in interest as Mori threw anything that looked expensive into a box. That was Hikaru's orders to him. Something about not wanting Ripley to feel poor while she stood in his apartment. Hunny fiddled with Usa-chan's ears, flipping them back and forth. He wished Hikaru wouldn't fret, it was unhealthy for him. Hunny frowned, looking over at his wife, who was sitting on the couch, dozing off. She was sleeping more and more now that her due date was getting closer and closer.

"Takashi, do you think Hikaru loves Ripley?"

"Yes."

"Do you think she loves him?"

"Yes."

"I mean, we've called her a few times, but she never answered our questions when we asked her if she did or not."

"She does love him." Mori replied simply, setting China plates carefully in a box.

Hunny smiled softly, "I think she does too."

He heard rustling to his side and he looked over to see if Reiko was awake. She was; her dark eyes boring right into his light ones. He found it funny how opposite they were, but they got along just fine. He loved the way she would use her "curses" to make him fall in love with her or ask him to do cutesy things with her. And she had become a great baker, paying for classes in cooking just so she could make him sweets. Of course he had embraced her dark side a little, knowing the differences between many cult items, and learned to ignore all her creepy antiques so she could be comfortable at home. Now, they were going to be parents, the first out of all the Host Club members. Sometimes, he couldn't even believe it.

"Mitsukuni, do you want me to put a curse on Hikaru, so that his date goes well?"

"Sure, Reiko-chan, anything that'll make his date a success would be appreciated." Hunny turned to Mori, "Takashi, when are you going to find someone? You're the only one who doesn't have a special someone."

Mori grunted in response, dusting off shelves.

"Have you looked at all?"

Another grunt.

"I'm sure she'll be really pretty!"

The door to the apartment opened, Tara stomping in with a calm Kyoya trailing behind her. The blonde stopped right in front of Hunny, turning towards him. "Mitsukuni, I want you to karate chop Hikaru into the oblivion so he can never meet Ripley."

Hunny jumped from his chair, hugging Usa-chan tightly. "I can't do that!"

"Whatever."

Hunny turned to Kyoya, "Kyo-chan, what is she talking about?"

"She thinks that Hikaru will say something rude towards Miss Barrett, causing them to fall apart. Unfortunately, I believe the same. Hopefully Hikaru has matured enough that he can keep his tongue."

Tara frowned, crossing her arms. "Remember that Sarah girl from across the hall?"

"Yes, I do." Kyoya sighed, "Well, we can only let the events unfold. What happens will happen. However, I'm more concerned about Haruhi being here."

"Do you think Hikaru will want to spend more time with Haru-chan than Rip-chan?" Hunny questioned.

"If that happens, I'll kick his ass." Tara muttered.

"Of course, who isn't at the moment?" Kyoya answered. "He still is in love with her, is he not?"

Hunny cast his eyes down, "I hope that doesn't happen."

"It might, it might not. I'm sure Tamaki will occupy most her time by showing her New York, so Hikaru will have to spend time with Ripley. I'm still concerned about her being here, though. Oh, and we'll have to make sure that Tamaki doesn't try and sabotage Hikaru and Miss Barrett's date."

"No, let him!"

"My love," Kyoya said, looking over at Tara. "Be quiet. The adults are talking."

"Fuck you."

"Hm, I bet you would."

Tara mumbled something inaudible, a thick blush spreading across her face.

The apartment was quiet, except for the hushed conversation between Hunny and Kyoya and the occasional mumbles between Tara and Mori, who were finishing up the ridding of wealthy objects in Hikaru's apartment. Reiko sat on the couch, silently watching everyone, hands clasped over her stomach.

Kyoya paused in his conversation to take his phone of his pocket when it dinged.

"Who is it, Kyo-chan?"

The black-haired man sighed, clapping his hands together.

"Alright, everyone, if you have any earplugs on hand, I would advise you to apply them now."

The door burst open and there a shrill, "Mon ami!" A heavy weight attached itself to Kyoya's back. "I have missed you _so _much! Where's Hikaru?! Where's his beautiful lover?! _Oh, _have they already eloped? I bet they have! Oh wait, no, they can't have eloped yet! I haven't met her. Kyoya, bring them back!"

"Tamaki, would you please settle down. To answer your question: No, they haven't. Hikaru's over at the café checking on preparations. He'll be back in a few minutes, according to his last text."

Before Tamaki could answer, a voice behind him said, "Tamaki, you left me behind."

The enthusiastic blonde bounced over to a bent over Haruhi, who was busy catching her breath. "Oh, I'm sorry, Haruhi! I just got excited!"

"I know. So troublesome…" Haruhi straightened, looking around the room. "Hello senpais, Reiko." she greeted with a nod. Everyone greeted her back, except for Tara, whose eyes narrowed slightly. Hunny hopped over, grabbing Haruhi's hand. "Haru-chan, you look so cute today! Are you excited about meeting Hikaru's girlfriend?!"

"Uh, yeah, I am. He's told me about her."

"She's super nice! I talked to her over the phone and everything! So did Takashi! Didn't you, Takashi?"

A nod as a response.

Tamaki gasped, "You _talked _to her?!"

"We all did." everyone answered.

"I didn't know you could do that!"

The apartment door squeaked open and footsteps stopped.

"Haruhi?"

She turned.

"Hikaru?"

**…\~/…**

Hikaru was silent as everyone around his chattered. His legs bounced up and down, his nails digging into his palms. It was almost four-thirty. Ripley had said something about coming around four, so he expected that she would be here at any moment. His stomach was doing somersaults and no matter what he did, the nausea was still with him. His apartment was crowded with people: Kyoya and Tara, Hunny, Mori, and Reiko, Mei and Kasanoda, and then there was Tamaki and Haruhi.

Haruhi…

She was so beautiful. Her long hair was pulled back in a clip and her doe eyes were shining. He could tell how happy she was being around everyone again. It had been a full two years since the Host Club was together like this. And it was all because of Ripley. Hikaru watched as Kaoru gesticulated wildly as he told a story to everyone, the others laughing and smiling at it. The coffee table was decorated with snacks and drinks, little bits here and there missing. But Hikaru couldn't concentrate on anyone but Haruhi at the moment.

"…your phone…" Kaoru said, staring at Hikaru.

"What?" Hikaru asked, shaking his head of all thoughts.

"Hikaru, your phone."

"O-oh, yeah!"

Ripley…

"Hey, where are you?" he asked into it when he answered. Everyone in the apartment was silent. Kind of nerve-wracking…

"_Your apartment is number 32, right?_"

"Yeah…" His voice was shaking. Did this mean…?

"_I'm down here and…Renee, stop being grabby…and I was wondering if you could come get me._"

He was the out the door and down the stairs faster than a New York minute.

He was outside, taking immediate notice of two women, one holding her phone out of reach of the other, slapping each other's hands away. When he cleared his throat, they froze, looking up at him.

"Hikaru…?" the shorter of the two asked.

"Ripley…?" he answered.

"Renee…?" the taller of the two asked, arching an eyebrow.

* * *

**Okay, so this is the shortest chapter yet. A whomping 4,000 words. Kind of lousy, but I wanted to get this chapter out the way. And I know that you're thinking: TWO CLIFFHANGERS IN A ROW?! I am evil... :D Muhahahahahaha. Well, anyway, the next chapter will definitely be Hikaley, but will it be good or bad Hikaley? And Renée just popped up out of nowhere. I had no intentions of having her in New York, but she kind of snuck in. Sneaky Renée...**

**Question: I don't know if I've asked this, but which one of my OCs do you like the best?**

**Author's Note - Fin**


	16. Be A Gentleman And Don't Speak Opinions

**Step #16:**

**Be A Gentleman And Don't Speak Your Opinions**

**...\~/...**

**September 10th, 4:31 P.M.: **

5 Things He Immediately Noticed:

1. She was fat. Well, more solid and stocky than fat, but she still wasn't thin. She was muscular, probably from lifting tree limbs and logs, but with her short stature, it didn't look right. He was used to girls like Haruhi and Tara, who had a thin frame, though Tara was a bit muscular as well. Girls at Ouran were all skinny, even to the point that they looked anorexic. But it was normal. He remembered how one girl at Ouran was fat and she was made fun of by the guys all the time. One of those guys being him.

2. It was disgusting how her face was riddled with acne. Red dots spotted her forehead, nose, and upper lip. He had to hold back a shudder at the thought of all that bacteria embedded in her pores. Hadn't she ever heard of Pro-activ? His mind immediately thought of the day when he and Salem were sitting in Central Park, rating women, and one girl had the same amount of acne. Disgusting...

3. Her hair wasn't neat. Pulled back in a messy bun, Hikaru could tell right off the bat that she had split ends. Her hair was in dire need of a trim.

4. Scars lined her arms and hands, reminding him of all the times she had messaged about a gruesome wound she had gotten. He used to be worried and never took it seriously when she told him that she gained a new scar, but now he saw that she wasn't lying. Some her deep, causing him to picture what they must've looked like before. They were ugly, making him not want to touch her. He noticed how Ripley tugged down her sleeves in a failed attempt at hiding them. She also balled her right hand into a fist, so that he wouldn't see the three fingers that lacked fingertips. It was too late; he noticed.

5. Over the phone, he would listen to her squeal on and on about video games and the latest superhero movies, and thought it was cute. Now, he saw that she was a true _nerd_. Her whole get-up screamed it. Glasses, plus the stockiness, acne, and unkempt hair, he was staring at her with narrowed eyes. Ripley was not what he wanted, not what he imagined. All this time, he was picturing a geeky version of Haruhi, who was still adorable to look at. Ripley, not so much. Overall, he was disappointed. It was his fault, though; he shouldn't have been so hopeful.

**...\~/...**

"Hikaru...?" Ripley asked.

"Ripley...?" Hikaru answered.

"Renee...?" Renee questioned, looking between the two.

Hikaru couldn't even blink before Ripley had detached herself from Renée and her arms around him in a hug. The action was unpredictable and he couldn't help but flinch from the contact. His arms were lifted, like he wanted to hug her, but couldn't. That's when she broke off, a blush spreading across her cheeks. From what he could see, her face was burnt to a crisp, probably from being out in the sun without enough sunscreen. Ripley was bad about not applying sun block. She was giving him a sheepish smile...at least her teeth were straight...

"Oh, sorry, was that awkward? My bad!" she said, rubbing her right arm. He could see her damaged hand...

Suddenly, Renee's foot connected with the back of Ripley's knee, causing her buckle. Ripley spun around, shouting, "What was that for?!"

"For being a little ass, that's what!" Renée replied, grinning.

The two hardly noticed Hikaru enter the apartment building until the door clicked shut. Ripley rushed off towards him, Renée hot on her heels, both entering the building. "Wait! Hold on!" Ripley called out, spotting Hikaru at the top of the first flight of stairs. They climbed after him, panting when they reached the designated level- the seventh. Hikaru was standing at the door, avoiding eye contact while his hand was set on the doorknob. Ripley stood there, trying to catch her breath, but she didn't fail to notice the solemn look Hikaru had on his face. Renee's hand clutched at Ripley's shirt as she bent over at the waist, breathing heavily. "It's weird actually being here now." Ripley said in between breaths. "I mean, all I've seen are pictures and-"

"Everyone's waiting." Hikaru muttered, loud enough for her to hear.

The ash-haired man opened the door.

Ripley was immediately tackled.

"Ripley, I'm so glad to finally meet you! You look a lot different than what I imagined!"

"Kaoru! I would know that voice anywhere!"

Hikaru felt a twinge of jealousy when his brother's arms wrapped around Ripley, pulling her in a close, friendly embrace. Ripley was still the woman he had bonded with for nine months and he did feel a little possessive towards her. Come on, she was supposed to be _his _girlfriend, not _Kaoru's_. Hikaru watched in silence as Kaoru grabbed Ripley's damaged hand, examining it closely. "So it is true! You really _did _cut off your fingertips!"

"Uh, yeah, gross, isn't it? Renée almost fainted when she saw all the blood."

Renée pretended to throw up, "It was so gross that I wanted to punch her."

"It was _that _gross?" Kaoru asked, grinning at Renée.

"Yes. _That _gross."

"Are we done here because we have things to do." Hikaru called out, glaring at the three. "Are we done with this little reunion?"

"Hikaru, just give me a moment. I'm bonding with my future sister-in-law!" Kaoru said, smiling down at Ripley.

"Whatever. Just don't hug her. She doesn't like to be touched."

"She didn't seem to mind when I-"

"Just _don't._" Hikaru growled, stepping into the apartment.

Kaoru stared at the place that Hikaru once stood, slowly switching his gaze down at Ripley. She was staring at the same spot as well, a frown set on her lips.

This couldn't be good.

**...\~/...**

The first person she laid her eyes on was a brunette woman sitting near the front of the room. Her long, brown hair was sleek and shiny, unlike her dull and frizzy hair; her eyes were exactly the kind that Hikaru found most attractive- large and doe-like. She was the definition of small- small body, no muscle, and flat-chested. But she looked like she had a warm and approachable personality, judging by the smile she was sending her way. And she was beautiful, no doubt about it. Ripley wasn't oblivious; she had noticed right off the bat the soft gaze Hikaru was sending in the woman's direction. Ripley diverted her own brown eyes from the ash-haired man's direction, instead focusing on the rather bland apartment.

That was her.

Haruhi Fujioka.

The other woman, the one that Hikaru found attractive.

Ripley could feel Renée at her side, their arms bumping. She had to wonder if Renée felt any insecurity at all. Probably not; she was pretty confident in how she looked. Ripley, on the other hand, felt naked compared to the people in the room. Everyone was beautiful, Tara being an exception since she was a bit rough around the edges. The spectacled woman stole a glimpse in Hikaru's direction. He was still staring at Haruhi.

Suddenly, a gorgeous blonde man confronted her, getting very close and personal. He took her hand, holding it between his. "Nice to finally meet you, mademoiselle, I've heard so much about you. Hikaru speaks very fondly of you whenever he talks to Haruhi over the phone." His voice was smooth and he seemed sincere about his words. "You're very beautiful, isn't she, Haruhi?" he questioned, turning to the brunette. Ripley felt her face heat up after he called her beautiful. No guy had ever said that to her before...

"Yes, she is." Haruhi said, leaving her spot from the couch, approaching Ripley. "I'm Haruhi Suoh, and this is Tamaki, my husband. Nice to meet you." Haruhi held out her hand and Ripley took it hesitantly. This was weird, shaking hands with the woman Hikaru was in love with, but Haruhi seemed friendly enough. When the couple went off to greet Renée, Ripley found herself being hugged by a blonde woman, who she assumed was Tara Alexander. The blonde pulled back, smiling, and pulled her to the couch, forcing her to sit down. "Do you want something to eat? Drink?"

"Um, no thanks. I ate before I came here."

Renée came up to them, swiping a handful of Chex mix. "Don't mind if I do." Renée plopped down on the couch beside Ripley, popping Chex into her mouth.

A black-haired man sat in one of the recliners, legs crossed. On any other day, Ripley would stop what she was doing to stare at a man like him if they passed her. The glasses, the black hair, poised look, she was a definite fan of it. Tara gestured towards him, "That's Kyoya, my boyfriend. Did you know that he received Bastard of the Year?"

Ripley stayed quiet and kind of hunched over, giving a tight smile. How was she supposed to respond to that? Nod and agree?

"Hi, Rip-chan! I'm Hunny!" a blonde, child-like individual said. "And this is my wife, Reiko-chan, and my cousin, Takashi!" He then held out a pink, stuffed rabbit. "And this is Usa-chan!" The blonde put his hand on Reiko's stomach, patting it affectionately. "And in here are our kids, Hitoshi and Kimiko! Hika-chan and Haru-chan are going to be the godparents of little Kimiko." he chirped happily, looking up at Hikaru. "Isn't that right, Hika-chan?"

"Yeah..."

"And Takashi and Syd-chan are the godparents of Hitoshi!"

Mori didn't say anything.

Renée gagged on the pastry she was eating, coughing hysterically. "Wait..." Cough. "You're telling me," Another cough. "That you and her bumped uglies?! Oh God, I think I'm going to puke."

"Then leave if it bothers you so much." Ripley mumbled, blushing furiously at what Renée said. Everyone seemed to get quiet.

Tara cleared her throat, pointing towards two others behind the opposite couch. "And that's Mei Yasumura and her boyfriend, Ritsu Kasanoda."

Ripley nodded in their direction. Then she said, "And everyone, this is Renée."

"Yo." Renée greeted with a full mouth.

"And then there's me!" Kaoru exclaimed happily, wrapping his arms around Ripley's neck from behind.

"Yes, of course, there's you." She turned towards him. "Hey, where's Clarisse? Is she here?"

Kaoru frowned, "Not at the moment. She'll be at the party later, but she had a modeling session today."

Hikaru snorted, "She doesn't have to come at all, you know."

The younger twin looked over at the older, "Hikaru, give her a break."

"Tch, whatever."

Tara turned her attention to Kyoya, saying, "Kyoya, can I talk to you in the kitchen? Now."

"Yes, my love."

**...\~/...**

That look that Hikaru had given Ripley, a look full of disgust and disappointment, reminded Tara of the same looks she had received as a kid. She was called 'Raccoon' in elementary school for the dark circles under her eyes, and she was given many clever nicknames in middle school, names that were always centered around her weight. Yes, she had been over two hundred pounds in her middle school years, but she had joined soccer and started eating more nutritionally, and the weight dropped. Still though, Hikaru's look towards Ripley bothered Tara to an extreme. And as she pulled Kyoya into the kitchen, she couldn't help but feel nostalgic.

"Tara, if this is about Hikaru and Ripley, then you might as well drop it now."

"But can't we figure out something?"

"We have to let things take its course. Hikaru's true personality is coming out and Miss Barrett will just have to learn about it on her own. Besides, I thought you wanted to sabotage their meeting. What made you change your mind?"

"Just...Ripley reminds me a lot of myself..."

Suddenly, Kyoya had his arms wrapped around Tara's waist. "Love, did you have this personality back in middle school?"

"I was worse."

He kissed her temple and smirked, "I probably would have been attracted to you back then as well."

"Even if you found out that those bastards called me 'Tara the Boar'?"

"Hn, I find that nickname rather fitting, even now."

Tara placed her hands flat against his chest, trying to push him away, but Kyoya tightened his hold on her. "You don't have permission to touch me!"

"Should we go back out to the living room and continue talking to Miss Barrett?"

"No, I may punch Hikaru again."

"Do you want to stay in here a few minutes and relax?"

"Tara Alexander can't relax. It's not in her nature."

Kyoya smirked, pressing his lips to her. Then he said, "Then we shall stay in here."

**…\~/…**

Kaoru had placed him right next to Ripley, who was currently talking to Kasanoda, who had opened up to her quickly. Hikaru watched as everyone listened to them intently, inserting their own comments and questions here and there. His golden eyes moved over to Haruhi and Tamaki, the two that asked Ripley the most questions. How come Haruhi had barely talked to him? It wasn't like he was invisible, so why hadn't she looked at him even? Kaoru was on Ripley's other side, being friendly and excitable as usual, but it still bothered him how Ripley always responded towards Kaoru with just as much enthusiasm. He knew that the two had talked over the phone, but for how long and did they really bond that much? He wished Kaoru would stop grabbing her hand all the time and squeezing it.

"So, what do you draw most of the time?" Haruhi asked Ripley, her doe eyes wider than usual. Hikaru couldn't help but notice how cute she looked at the moment.

"Anything that comes to mind. Even though it may be stupid and I'll probably freak myself out, I want to design a horror game in the future, and I have so many ideas for one. Actually, in order to get into any gaming facility, I need to design my own game, so I've been sketching ideas a lot."

"Is it hard coming up with ideas?"

"Not really. I'm inspired by other horror games, so it's easy to come up with creepy scenarios."

Hikaru wanted to laugh at Tamaki's face, which was one full of fear and his violet eyes were wide. "Scary games…? I don't like scary games…" the blonde mumbled.

Ripley held up a reassuring hand, "Oh, don't worry, I don't either sometimes. Sega's produced the Condemned games and Dawn and I had to walk away from those at certain points in the game."

Hikaru straightened when Haruhi's brown eyes settled on him. He could feel his face begin to heat up. Oh God, what was she going to ask him? How was he going to respond? Hopefully he wouldn't sound too eager when he answered. He didn't want to sound like he had been waiting for her to ask him something. Hikaru took a deep breath and exhaled, looking straight into Haruhi's eyes. He wished he could look into those eyes every day.

"Have you ever played Condemned?" she asked him.

"Oh, uh, I don't think I have. Did you send that one to me, Ripley?"

His question was left hanging, though. He looked over and Ripley's back was to him, the spectacled woman's attention directed solely on Kaoru. Why the hell was she talking to _him _so much? The one time he had talked to her since her arrival and she wasn't paying attention because she was talking to Kaoru. Hikaru watched as Kaoru laughed and Ripley shook with laughter. And then the worst thing happened: Kaoru slid his arm around her shoulders and gave a squeeze, bringing her closer to him in another embrace. That was it. All this touching on Kaoru's part was driving him up the wall. _He _didn't spend nine months learning everything about this woman. _He _wasn't the one that Ripley called and had to be comforted. _He _wasn't the one that could make her laugh for hours on end. Kaoru did nothing and yet, he was getting more attention from Ripley than he was. Hikaru jumped up, smacking Kaoru's arm away.

Kaoru jumped up off the couch as well. "What was that for?!"

"Get off of her." Hikaru growled.

"What? I'm just being friendly!"

"No, you're being too personal. Stop grabbing her. You're not her boyfriend."

"She doesn't have one, remember?"

"_I'm _supposed to be her boyfriend."

Kaoru's eyes narrowed, "Well maybe you should-"

_Knock, knock, knock!_

"I'll get it!" Hunny exclaimed. He bounced all the way to the door, opening it. The moment the door swung open, a man rushed in with a panicked look on his face. "Ripley! There you are!" he shouted, hurrying towards Ripley, grabbing her hands. "I'm going to die! Guess what happened! GUESS WHAT HAPPENED!" He was breathing rather heavily and didn't seem to notice the other guests in the room.

"David, what would've happened if this wasn't the right apartment?" Ripley asked him.

"I probably would've grabbed the first person and cried on their shoulder! But that's not the problem!"

"What _is _the problem?"

"Okay, so I was walking over here to get you, _right?_ And I was carrying my portfolio, _right? _And this incredibly rude person bumped into me, I dropped my portfolio, and it fluttered down the drain! The _sewage drain! _I was going to show all my artwork to one of the most well-known art professors there and now I can't because of that incredibly rude person!"

Ripley didn't say anything. She just bent down and pulled something out of her backpack, holding it out for David to grab. "What is this?" he asked.

"Me being my paranoid self." she replied.

David opened the folder and gasped, his hand reaching his mouth.

Ripley gave a small smile, "I remember the last time your artwork got ruined, so I snuck in and copied the originals of the ones you wanted to show off. The ones that went down the drain were the copies and the ones you are holding are the original. But," She snatched the folder from his hands. "I will be holding onto these until we get there."

"Okay, okay, okay, good idea." David slowly turned his head towards Hikaru, giving him the stink eye.

"What?" Hikaru spat.

"Nothing..." David shot back. The strawberry-blonde man grabbed Ripley's hand and started to pull her towards the door. "C'mon, the art show is going to start in an hour, and Vance and Hannah are waiting! Renee, come on!" Renee looked at everyone in the room, slowly grabbing the Chex mix bowl, and began to walk towards the door. Hikaru's jaw was clenched tight when he saw how David's fingers were beginning to intertwine with Ripley's. The thing that really bothered him was that Ripley didn't seem to mind or notice. She probably didn't notice. David wasn't even that good-looking of a man. Strawberry-blonde hair that was gelled into spikes near the front; dark blue eyes with rectangular glasses; and a lanky limbed body, no muscle whatsoever. But Hikaru's skin continued to prickle at the sight of the two holding hands. Ripley was supposed to be his, so why was she allowing another man to hold her hand?

Hikaru looked down when someone grabbed his hand and found Hunny, who was looking up at him with a wide, curious stare.

"What?" Hikaru repeated again, but to Hunny.

"You should go with them, Hika-chan! You go to the Art Institute, don't you?"

"Yeah, so what?"

Hunny gave a wide smile, "This will give you time to get to know Rip-chan some more!"

"And why would I want to do that?" Hikaru hissed.

Then, Mori held onto Hikaru's shoulders, pointing towards the apartment door. "Look."

Hikaru followed Mori's finger and his eyes settled Ripley.

His body gave a jolt and his heart seemed to stop.

Ripley was staring right at him, her brown eyes full with hurt. He remembered how upset it always made him to hear her sad over the phone, but now that he was actually seeing it in person, it still made his chest ache. Her eyes diverted from his own and she turned away from him, following David out the door.

"Hikaru, go." Mori said in his baritone voice.

"Fine. Whatever."

**...\~/...**

The place was crowded with students from all over the United States. Each group had their own set of T-shirts, showing everyone which state and college they were from. Hikaru noticed how Ripley, David, and Renee were wearing gray shirts emblazoned with their college's name and insignia in green. Displays were everywhere and tours were being held of the building, eager students hurrying around with huge smiles on their faces. Hikaru's gaze was narrowed; he had never been surrounded by so many nerds in his life. He nearly gagged when he caught a whiff of B.O. somewhere. The other Host Club members were doing fine, though. Hunny held Reiko's hand as he guided her to each display, Mori trailing behind him silently. Tamaki was bouncing from display to display, trying samples from culinary students and clapping at the bands playing. Haruhi was being dragged by Tamaki, but she seemed the most interested in food. Tara and Kyoya walked along, her arm looped in his, stopping at displays that caught their interest, and Tara gave expert tips to budding chefs. And Kaoru was staying beside Hikaru, marveling at all the talent surrounding them.

"Ah, Mr. Hitachiin, I see you're here to see the displays." a voice said behind him.

Hikaru turned to see an elderly man with short, gray hair, blue eyes, and an aging face. "Hey, Professor Caine."

Professor Caine stopped in front of Hikaru and Kaoru, several folders full to the brim with artwork and papers settled in his arms. "I thought you were finally meeting that young woman from over the Internet?"

"I did. She's over there." Hikaru pointed towards a stand not too far away. Ripley was standing beside her friend, Hannah, who was talking to another artist that had a sort of manga style of drawing. Professor Caine smiled, "She's very pretty. Why aren't you over there?"

"Because Hikaru's being an ass." Kaoru mumbled. Hikaru whipped his head in Kaoru's direction, his twin looking away.

Professor Caine looked at Hikaru for a moment before saying, "Can I meet her?"

"I don't care."

Professor Caine began to walk in Ripley's direction, the twins following him. The elderly teacher tapped Ripley's shoulder, smiling when she turned around. He held out his hand, which Ripley took slowly. "I'm Professor Caine, one of the teachers here, but you can call me Reese. Your friend, Hikaru, has been in a few of my classes. I'm sure he's talked about me."

Ripley looked nervous, "Will you get mad if I said he hasn't?"

"Oh Hikaru, you wound me!" Professor Caine joked, turning towards Hikaru. "How come you've never mentioned me before?"

"Never thought to. Sorry." Hikaru muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.

There was something wrong.

This was not his usual student.

"Hikaru, would you like to go to my classroom and talk about whatever's concerning you?" Professor Caine asked.

"No, I'm fine." Great, was he going to start saying 'fine' in every sentence again?

"Alright, well, I'll be in Room 105 if you need to talk. I'm giving a seminar to immature kids like you."

"Hey, I'm not-" Before Hikaru could defend himself, Professor Caine leaned forward and whispered something in his ear.

Professor Caine smiled one last time as he patted Hikaru's shoulder. "Just remember that."

**...\~/...**

**Alexander's Cafe:**

Ripley sat near the window, looking outside. Cars whizzed by with their lights on, people looked inside the cafe windows briefly to see what was going on, and stores across the street were beginning to close for the night. When Hikaru and his friends had guided her to Alexander's Cafe, she was surprised when she had walked in and everyone greeted her graciously. Nathan had grabbed her hand and shook it fervently and Megan Alexander had shaken her hand as well, even if she did have a sour look while doing it. She and Angela had hit it off immediately, art being their connection, and she and Luke had talked for awhile as well, manga and anime being their main topic of conversation. Kyle had been a bit difficult to talk to since they both stuttered when they introduced themselves, and it had been a bit uncomfortable when Natalie basically jumped into her arms in a crushing hug. Cassidy and Salem sat in the corner, watching everyone and whispering amongst themselves, and they sent her looks every now and again. Ripley looked over when a huge burst of laughter erupted on the other end of the cafe and she saw Renee hunching over from hysterics. Renee had been quickly accepted into the group.

Everyone was having a good time.

Except her.

Ripley watched as Hikaru talked to Haruhi eagerly, the ash-haired man stepping closer to her inch by inch. Ripley looked down at her hands, a feeling of dread causing her stomach to churn. She was beginning to regret telling Hikaru to reunite with Haruhi, but the memory of how happy he had sounded told her that she had done a good deed. His happiness was all that she wanted, even if it meant that his source of happiness was from someone other than her. No matter how much it hurt, she'd keep quiet about her true feelings. Ripley looked back outside, resting her head in her hand. She felt like she was going to cry, but she kept it back. There was no way that she was going to let all of these people see her at her weakest.

She knew why he didn't want anything to do with her, but she wouldn't admit it to herself or anyone else.

Everyone had accepted her with open arms, so why couldn't he?

He had been so kind to her these last few months, always calling her to tell her to be careful or to bundle up when it was winter. They made each other laugh and cry, but everything would turn out alright in the end. But when she had seen him on that poster in March, the one where he and Kaoru were modeling, she had looked in a mirror in the bathroom and knew that she stood no chance.

Haruhi was beautiful.

That was who he wanted in the end, not her.

He probably imagined himself talking to Haruhi every time they talked.

She had no chance.

Ripley had to wonder how everyone else viewed her. Did they think she was ugly too? Tamaki, the moment she had stepped into the apartment, had grabbed her hands and called her beautiful, and Hunny called her pretty. They were probably just saying that to be nice. They'd probably never even seen an ugly person before since they were all beautiful. Ripley's brown eyes stole a glimpse in Hikaru's direction; he was still talking to Haruhi, but this time she noticed his wanting look.

Hikaru _wanted _Haruhi.

"Pathetic... He disgusts me." a voice said beside her.

"Um...what's your name?"

"Syd. You must be Ripley, Hikaru's distraction."

"Yeah...that's me..."

Syd had appeared out of nowhere, perched on the chair beside Ripley, her boots settled on the table. She was staring straight at Hikaru with a look of disgust. Syd looked dark, the way she was glaring at Hikaru, and seemed to want to attack him from where she sat. She looked feral, anger in her narrowed, brown eyes, her upper lip drawn into a scowl. Ripley shifted uncomfortably in her seat, shoving her hands into her pockets. Being next to this woman made her uneasy, especially since she called her 'Hikaru's distraction'. The scary thing was that it was beginning to become a reality, Hikaru's distant attitude towards her fueling that thought.

"It's been five fuckin' years since she rejected him and two since she married Tamaki. Can't he get the hint?"

"It's hard to get over someone you love."

"And you, why can't you fight for what's yours? You obviously love him, so go claim him."

"Why would I try and claim someone that doesn't love me back? That would just hurt me even more."

"...I guess that's true...but I don't think he hates you."

"Well, he sure does have a funny way of showing it."

That was when Syd jumped up out of her seat, Cassidy and Salem jumping up as well. They marched right up to Hikaru, grabbed him by the collar, and dragged him to the kitchens.

**...\~/...**

"What the hell?!" Hikaru shouted, stumbling and catching himself after Salem had thrown him into the kitchens. The three were glaring at him, arms all crossed. Syd had a snarl on her face, while Cassidy and Salem both had murderous looks in their dark eyes. For once, he actually shivered out of fear, and he had a feeling he knew what this was about. Hikaru couldn't help but think back to the times when Syd had pinned him down and chastised him for using Ripley as a distraction and when Salem had asked him to rate women by their appearance. Everything that had happened in the past nine months seemed to add up.

"I see your play thing has been used up, isn't that right, Hikaru?" Syd asked, her voice lower than normal.

He felt like he was prey and she was the predator.

He was a helpless gazelle and he was about to be ripped to shreds by three hungry hyenas.

Isn't that the same analogy Syd always made when she felt vulnerable?

"Is she a negative ten?" Salem questioned with a quirk of his eyebrow.

"You don't like her anymore since she's fat, right?" Cassidy queried.

Hikaru tried to shove through them, but they knocked him back. "C'mon, I don't have time for this."

"If you have time for flirting with Haruhi and trying to get close to her, then you have time for us." Syd said. "I thought over these nine months, you would've moved on, but I guess I was wrong. I was right all those months ago; she is nothing but a toy to you. Did she distract you long enough until Haruhi came back into your life? Now that Haruhi's here, you don't need Ripley anymore. What happened to all those confessions about caring about her and not using her and not using her as an escape to get away from all your problems? Did you hear, Hikaru? I'm one of the lead veterinarians in Chicago now. Guess you're the only one that's lazy and effortless now."

He was quiet, Salem taking the chance to talk now.

"I already knew what Ripley looked like. I looked her up on Facebook and I immediately knew that she was too good for scum like you. My thoughts were confirmed that day when I took you to Central Park and had you rate all those women. I remember distinctly that the ones you rated five and below all looked like Ripley. I'd have loved to have seen your face when you saw Ripley for the first time. Disappointed, Fruitcup? Why don't you ditch Ripley and go find someone that's as nasty and horrible as you? At least she would be pretty, right? Hey, why don't you off that blonde dunce and take Haruhi for yourself? Isn't she who you want?"

"I hate how you guys are making all these assumptions, but you haven't even let me talk." Hikaru spat.

"Because you don't need to. We already spoke for you." Cassidy said. "Why don't you end it with Ripley now before you do anymore damage to her heart?"

A pain in his chest caused him to grab his shirt. Hurting Ripley...? He used to think those two words would never go together.

"It's against your nature to love a woman like Ripley, isn't it?" Cassidy asked.

Hikaru's eyebrows scrunched together, his eyes hurting from the upcoming tears. He pushed past the three, bursting through the doors. Everyone outside the kitchens stopped what they were doing to stare at him. Hikaru's watery eyes were becoming blurry, but he could make out Haruhi in the crowd. Her whole face was full of concern and she started to step forward when Hikaru shook his head, looking away from her. The next person that he turned to was Ripley, who was near the front windows. She had gotten up from her chair, ready to confront him, but he didn't want her to.

He didn't want her to touch him with those disgusting, scarred hands of hers.

"Hikaru, what's wrong?" Kaoru asked, coming up beside him, grabbing his shoulder.

Hikaru shrugged it off, shaking his head again, and he began to run.

He ran right past Ripley.

He didn't want her.

He didn't want anyone.

**...\~/...**

**Ripley and Renee's Hotel Room:**

Ripley hugged her pillow as she laid on her bed, staring at the blandly decorated wall. Her phone was beside her, waiting for an answer from Hikaru. She had called him several times to try and find out what had happened when Syd, Salem, and Cassidy had dragged him into the kitchens. But the screen never lit up or vibrated. There were no texts either...

Finally, her phone lit up and vibrated.

But with a sigh, she answered, "Hey, Joey."

"_Don't sound excited, would ya?_" Joey said, a hint of laughter in his voice. "_How's New York? Is it how you imagined it?_"

"I don't really know. I haven't had the chance to explore yet. Once we got off the bus and settled into our hotel room, I went straight to Hikaru's."

Now she wished she had just lied and said that everything was okay.

"_Did you guys do anything exciting to mark your official meet?_" he asked.

"...he's shallow."

"_What?_"

"Hikaru's shallow. He doesn't like the way I look."

She felt like she was going to cry.

God, she hated crying, especially when her brothers could hear her.

"_Shallow? Doesn't like the way you look? But you're beautiful! How could he not think you're beautiful?_"

Shit, she actually began to cry.

Why was she so sensitive?

"No, I'm not. I'm fat and have acne and three fingers on my right hand don't have fingertips. I have scars all over my arms and my hair isn't how I want it. Fuck, why do I have to look like this? Fuck!" she shouted, a sob causing her shake. "Now I wish I had never signed up on Red Hue! I wasn't even ready to have a boyfriend, much less meet someone. I'm in too deep now. I love that man and it's killing me that he doesn't love me back!"

"_I'm sure he does..._"

"You didn't see him, Joey! He's been cold and distant and has centered all his attention on Haruhi! He's...he...looked at me with such a disgusted look that it reminded me of how disgusting I really am! I just... I've never felt so horrible..."

"_Maybe you should come home._"

"But the Art Institute..."

"_You shouldn't stay there and beat yourself up. Knowing you, you probably will try and hide it tomorrow, right?_"

"No..."

"_Yes, you will._" He sighed through the phone. "_Well, I'll come pick you up whenever you want. Your big brother will come and get you away from that bastard._"

"Thanks..."

They were quiet for a moment.

"Hey, don't tell Mark, okay? He'll really come over and kill Hikaru."

"_Yeah, I won't. I can see the headlines now: 'Attractive model slain by chuckling hick'._"

Ripley didn't even crack a smile.

"_Get some sleep and don't think about it too much._"

"I won't."

"_Alright, good night._"

"Night..." Click.

**...\~/...**

**September 11th, 5:35 P.M.:**

Timeline of Important Events on 9/11:

September 11th, 1609- Henry Hudson discovered Manhattan, New York.

September 11th, 1941- The Pentagon was built.

September 11th, 1961- The WWF (The World Wildlife Fund) was established.

September 11th, 1978- Camp David Accord paved the road towards peace in the Middle East.

September 11th, 1997- NASA's Global Mars Surveyor reached Mars.

September 11th, 2001- World Trade Center are destroyed by hijacked planes.

September 11th, 2012- Hikaru and Ripley's first ever in-person date is about to happen. May God be with them.

**...\~/...**

It was freezing in New York City, everyone in their fall clothes. The wind nipped at his nose as he waited outside her hotel, hands shoved deep into his pockets. Hikaru hopped from foot to foot to try and keep his blood flowing, but it felt like his face was going to freeze and shatter into a billion little pieces. A feeling of dread spread throughout him as he remembered the date he had set up for he and Ripley. Now he wished he skipped out, but Tara had forced him to get out bed and get dressed. Kaoru had disappeared somewhere during breakfast, keeping it secret on where he was going. Hikaru sighed, his breath floating above him in visible wisps.

"Hey, Hikaru..."

It was her.

He turned, readying himself for her to have bed-head and dressed horribly, but he was surprised. Her hair was down, her brown hair falling down her back and shoulders in loose curls. They looked natural, unlike a lot of curled hair he had seen on many women. It looked like she was wearing eyeliner and some eye make-up, making her brown eyes pop out and look smoky. He noticed her attire; a plaid jacket of teal, black, and gray over a black blouse, jeans, and worn tennis shoes. It wasn't bad, but not date material. At least he couldn't see her scarred flesh anymore...

"Uh, hey..." he said back. Great, now that they were alone, they were going to have to make conversation.

"Kaoru helped me get ready. Hope that doesn't bother you." Ripley said quietly, scuffing the toe of her shoe into the ground, making a scraping sound.

"Did he now?" Just the thought of Kaoru possibly touching her made him want to punch something.

"Yeah. Um, where are we going today?"

"I was just going to show you around the city since you've always wanted to come here."

"Really?!" Her mood seemed to lift. "Are we going to be able to stand on Times Square?! Are we going to the Statue of Liberty?!"

"I guess. I was planning on going to close by landmarks since it's cold."

"Oh, well, whatever you had planned is cool with me. Another time, maybe."

Since this morning, he had planned to just ditch her and go back to sleep, so if she was cool with whatever he had planned...

No, Tara would kill him.

Man, why did he have to do this?

**...\~/...**

He wanted to take her to Central Park.

No, they just _had _to go to Gamestop.

"Have it, have it, have it, have it..." Ripley chanted, flipping through the rows of 360 games. "Oooo, don't have this one. It's ten dollars... Maybe later..."

"Are we done yet?" Hikaru called out, looking bored. Was this how she was on a daily basis? Boring... All he wanted to do was go back to the apartment, curl up in his bed, and sleep. He didn't want to be with her. People were staring now, giggling and whispering. Were they talking about him or whispering about him being with _her? _He hoped it was the former. He wanted to leave, but Ripley was persistent in checking every little game in the store, beaming when she found a cheap one that she wanted. When she had said she was gamer, she really meant it. Only true gamers could spend a whole half an hour in a video game store and not get bored.

"Oh, uh, yeah! We can go! Sorry about that... It's just that New York City Gamestop is a lot bigger than the one back home."

"You can come here on your own time. We have places to go and I would like to get home before next year."

"Yeah..."

The door dinged when they left, the cold inviting them back into early fall. As they walked down the sidewalk towards their next destination, a group of blushing young women waved towards Hikaru, who gave a smirk and waved back. "Hey, Hikaru!" they called out. Ripley almost ran into Hikaru when he stopped abruptly to talk to the group of girls. The spectacled woman watched as Hikaru grinned seductively in their direction, but failed to pay any attention to her. The girls asked him if he was seeing anyone and he looked over his shoulder at Ripley, who was staring directly at him with her hands in her pockets.

"Maybe we can all get together another time." he said.

Ripley's eyes cast downward, her shoulders falling.

She knew what was going to happen, so why was she waiting?

"Okay, Hikaru!" the girls exclaimed and bustled into a nearby store, waving goodbye.

Hikaru noticed Ripley staring at him. "What?"

"I'm assuming you know them."

"Fangirls. Hot, aren't they?" he said with a smirk.

Ripley's eyes narrowed.

**...\~/...**

A lot of women knew Hikaru.

A _lot _of women knew Hikaru.

She had to expect this since he was part of a very famous family, his mother and brother being fashion designers, and Hikaru modeling on numerous occasions, so it wasn't a surprise that so many women knew the man. And they were all beautiful. Ripley was getting used to stopping every time a woman said his name, women always asking him if he was available to which he would look over at Ripley and say 'Maybe we can get together another time'. Was he trying to tell her something? She felt as if there was a underlining meaning to what he said, probably something like, 'Maybe another time because I have this dead weight with me right now'. Yeah, that sounded accurate.

This date- if you could call it that- was shit.

She felt horrible, especially since Hikaru wasn't paying any attention to her.

And they were heading to dinner now.

Dinner would probably be shit, too.

**...\~/...**

Dinner _had _been shit.

She had made all the conversation and all she got was either silence or one-worded answers.

_And _he had flirted with their waitress.

Now, they were headed back to the apartment, where everyone was waiting for them to return.

Hikaru was marching ahead of her, head hunched over and his hands shoved deep into his pockets. Ripley had to sort of jog to keep up with him, constantly having to double back when he would turn sharp corners or disappear into crowds of people. She wasn't stupid, she knew that he was doing this on purpose. Curse him for having long legs and for her being so short.

Then, Ripley had to stop quickly in order to not run into Hikaru when he stopped suddenly.

"Hikaru...?"

"I don't like the way you look."

"W-what?" Her voice came out shaky.

"I don't like the way you look." Hikaru repeated, loudly this time, turning towards her.

Their eyes met for a second before Hikaru turned away, walking away.

And she just let him...

**...\~/...**

**Midnight:**

**Hikaru's Apartment:**

Hikaru staggered up the stairs, tripping over steps and stumbling when he walked to his door. He fumbled with his keys, hiccupping loudly, and before he could insert his apartment key into the door, the door itself swung open, revealing a beaming Hunny.

"Hika-chan, welcome ba- Hey, where's Rip-chan?"

"Gone! Gone for-hic-good! I got rid of that ugly broad!" Hikaru shouted, tripping over his own feet, falling to the floor with a loud thud. The room was quiet as Kaoru rushed over, lending Hikaru a hand, but the older twin pushed Kaoru away, struggling to get up off the floor. "Don't _touch me_, Kaoru! You girlfriend stealer! I watched you put your hands all over her! Do you want Ripley?! Do you-hic-want her all to yourself?! Fine! Go get her! She has more...womanly qualities...if you _know _what I mean...than that whore you're dating now!" Hikaru jabbed Kaoru's chest. "I bet you're one of those closet perverts that like their women to be heavily endowed..."

"You're drunk." Kaoru stated obviously.

"And happy! I feel _great _right now!" Hikaru exclaimed.

"Hikaru, you need to stop." Haruhi said, coming towards him. That was a bad idea on her part, though. Hikaru turned on her, giving a wide grin.

"Haruhi! My love! How awesome it is to see the woman who broke my heart and left me in the dust! I love your hair, by the way! Anyone have any gin? Anyone? Anyone? No, maybe I should go out for more..." But Hikaru lost his train of thought and diverted his attention back on Haruhi. He stumbled a bit, but managed to regain his posture. "You...you fell for that idiot, even when I loved you first. I was ready to give you-hic-everything you wanted, needed, and even my life. I...I...I loved no woman but you and you rejected me." Tamaki came up and pushed Hikaru away from Haruhi when the dark-haired man hissed, "Bitch..."

"That's enough, Hikaru. You've said enough." Tamaki warned.

Hikaru laughed, wrapping his arm around Tamaki's shoulder. "Hey, Milord, what's it like to bed Haruhi every night, huh? Since she's usually so dull, I bet it's fun to make her squeal, isn't it?"

"Hikaru, stop this-!"

Before Tamaki could finish, Kaoru grabbed Hikaru's shoulder and pulled him off of Tamaki. "Hikaru, stop. That's enough."

Hikaru got up into Kaoru's face. "Make me."

_SLAP! _

The impact from Kaoru's slap sent Hikaru to the ground with a throbbing cheek. Hikaru held a shaking hand to his pained cheek, looking up into identical golden orbs.

"Kaoru..."

"You sicken me, Hikaru." Kaoru spat.

Hikaru's head dropped to the floor, his drunken state beginning to take a toll on him now. He watched as Kaoru grabbed his coat and rushed out the door.

"Kaoru..."

And his world turned black.

He wished it'd stay that way.

**...\~/...**

**Ripley and Renee's Hotel Room:**

_Knock, knock, knock!_

She opened the door, revealing Kaoru on the other side.

"Ripley, I-!"

He was stopped short when Ripley held up something. A poster. No...not just any old poster. It was the poster from March when he and Hikaru had modeled for his Spring Collection. Kaoru looked at Ripley from the poster.

"I knew what he looked like all along." she muttered.

"Ripley..."

"He's so handsome...and me...I'm..."

Kaoru grabbed her and pulled her to him when the tears began to fall.

**...\~/...**

**September 24th, 4:13 P.M.:**

Hikaru sat at the island table in the kitchen, his head in his hands, his fingers grabbing his dark hair in fistfuls. A bottle of whiskey sat close by, half empty or half full depending on how his mood made him look at life. Usually, though, it was half empty. The radio was on, but the songs were in the distance as his thoughts crowded his mind. The window was open, the cold hitting his hot body, trying to cool him off. His phone was directly in front of him, his eyes watching it every second in case she called him.

He had ruined everything with her and the aftermath of it all was beginning to take effect. Nine months of becoming so close to Ripley had gone down the drain and now, more than ever, he wanted to hear her voice. That sweet voice of hers was something he had been praying to hear for the past week. His prayers had been unanswered so far, but he had hope that she would call him. But it wasn't just Ripley he had screwed up with; it had been everyone else. After his drunken fit the week before, they all left except for Tara and Kyoya. They all gave up on him. No one called him after that to see how he was doing now and no one even cared. For years, they had been supportive, but all that support was for nothing. He wish he could change it all.

He pressed the phone to his ear, listening to the ringing.

"_Hello?_"

"Ripley, I just wanted-!"

"_Ha! Got you! This is my voice mail so please leave a message. Bye!_"

He dropped his phone onto the table, grabbing the whiskey bottle, taking a swig. He hadn't felt this horrible since Haruhi married Tamaki.

Suddenly, his phone vibrated, and Hikaru immediately grabbed it, but it was nothing but another Red Hue match-up.

_Hello Hikaru!_

_Thank you for setting up an account on our wonderful website._

_We are pleased to inform you that we have found the person for you!_

_Click on the following link to see who we paired you up with._

He clicked it, remembering the first time he had done this, thus starting his past nine months getting to know an incredible woman.

He wished she'd answer his calls, texts, anything.

Hikaru scrolled through the message that his "match-up" sent him, frowning.

_Hey Hikaru!_

_My name's Steph and i luv, luv, LUV all ur hobbies! I mean, i'm not that n2 games, but i can learn real fast! And i just have 2 say that u r very attractive & if u can c from my profile pict, i'm pretty cute 2, so we r like a match made from heaven! My last bf was a total stinker, but i'm sure ur kewl! _

_Steph!_

_XOXOXOXO_

The whole message sickened him. Ripley would have rather died than compose a message like this.

Ripley...

Every time he thought of her, his heart ached.

He squeezed his eyes shut, trying to keep tears from flowing, but it was no use. His whole body shook with sobs and the tears slid down his face, Hikaru bringing up his sleeve to wipe away the salty tears.

He was pathetic...

No...

He was getting over his real true love.

**...\~/...**

**Japan:**

Something wasn't right.

She felt off.

"Tamaki, I need to go back."

"Back where?"

"Back to Hikaru. We left him in such a fragile state. What if he does something stupid?"

Tamaki looked at his wife, who stood in the doorway, looking determined.

"You want to go alone, don't you?"

"It's the only way."

Tamaki smiled, walking towards his wife, placing a kiss upon her lips.

"Go."

**...\~/...**

**September 25th, 10:02 A.M.:**

_Knock, knock, knock!_

Hikaru forced himself off the couch, shuffling towards the door. He really didn't want to deal with anyone at the moment.

He opened it.

"Haruhi...? What are you-"

"Hikaru, I want you to go on a date with me."

* * *

**Please, bear with me a little longer. **

**It's 1:05 in the morning and I'm tired. **

**I'll have a long author's note in the next chapter or two. **

**Author's Note - Fin**


	17. Being Bold Is The Right Thing To Do

**Step #17:**

**Being Bold Is Sometimes The Right Thing To Do**

**...\~/...**

**September 25th, 10:02 A.M.:**

"Hikaru, I want you to go on a date with me."

He just stood there, looking like an idiot with wide eyes. And she just stood there as well, staring up at him with her doe-like gaze. One of Haruhi's most charming qualities was to look into someone's eyes while talking to them. It showed that she was confident as an individual and independent. Those were two things he wasn't at the moment, so he diverted his eyes somewhere else. Hikaru brought his hand up, rubbing the back of his neck slowly. Here she was, Haruhi Fujioka, a married woman, asking him out on a date. He had to wonder if maybe he had grown up a bit over the past week because before, he would've jumped all over the opportunity to take her out, but now the idea didn't sound appealing. Still, she came all the way here from Japan, so he might as well accept. It would probably be good for him to get out for a while. Hikaru looked back at her, only to look away once more when their eyes met. He wished she would stop her staring...

"You smell like alcohol." Haruhi stated, walking into the apartment when Hikaru stepped out of the way.

"Yeah... Alcohol's been kind of a close friend this past week."

Haruhi turned towards him after he closed the door. "Hikaru, alcohol isn't the right thing to turn to. You should've called."

"I couldn't after what I said to you." He cleared his throat. "Speaking of that, sorry..."

"It's fine. You were under the influence, which I hope never happens again."

"How's Milord doing?"

"He's concerned about your well-being, but he's not mad at you. You know how he is; it's hard for him to actually be mad at someone."

It was true: Tamaki Suoh didn't have the ability to be mad at someone. When he tried, it was pathetic to watch him because after awhile, Tamaki would fade back to his overly energetic self, and beg for forgiveness. Hikaru thought back to the time during their Host Club years when they had all gone to the beach. Haruhi, being her independent self, thought it would be an awesome (stupid) idea to confront a group of rowdy men who were hitting on a group of their customers. Haruhi was thrown into the ocean off a cliff, Tamaki saved her, and the two argued about gender issues. Hikaru remembered how pitiful the blonde had been, staring at the brunette with puppy dog eyes, in hopes that she would forgive him for his outburst.

"Can you put something else on other than boxers?" Haruhi requested, turning away from him to set her bag by the couch.

"I should do that since I have a lady here, shouldn't I?"

"What happened to your hand?" she asked, pointing towards his casted hand.

"...I broke it."

"Doing what?"

"Long story."

Haruhi frowned at his response. "Have you had breakfast yet?"

"No..."

"Well, you go get dressed while I make you something."

"Fine."

**...\~/...**

He was dressed in a white dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, a black sweater vest, and his nicest pair of jeans. Hikaru sat on his bed, phone in his hands, lifeless eyes staring at the screen. Hope coursed through his entire being, wishing that it would light up with Ripley's name. Why would it though after what he had said to her? _I don't like the way you look. _He was such an idiot for saying that. Hikaru's leg bounced uncontrollably, probably from his anxiety. His stomach was doing flips and his palms were sweaty, a sudden wave of nausea washing over him. Maybe he shouldn't have drunk so much, but it kept calling him. Liquor gave him a delightful feeling that granted him the time to forget all his worries.

Hikaru gasped when his phone vibrated, his heart skipping a beat, but the excitement slowly faded away when he saw that it was another Red Hue match-up. Ever since he had posted a picture of himself on there, women were messaging him left from right. Every message he had received all told him that he was easy on the eyes. Right now, that wasn't something he wanted to be told. Hikaru narrowed his gaze as he opened the message. They were all like him, wanting looks more than personality. They were shallow, a characteristic he shared with them. They were everything Ripley wasn't; she didn't need a picture to form a bond with him. Looks didn't matter to her; they never did.

"You can't get a hold of her?"

Hikaru shook his head, looking up at Haruhi with watery eyes. "And I don't think I ever will."

His head met her stomach, resting it there when she approached. Haruhi's fingers tangled into his dark hair, scratching at his scalp soothingly as he cried once more. He felt so pathetic, crying in front of her. This was Haruhi, though, a person you were allowed to be yourself around and never fear judgment. She allowed him to wrap his arms around her waist, Hikaru just wanting something to hold. "H-how c-come I'm like t-this? W-why do I have t-to be so m-m-mean a-and inconsiderate?"

"Because you wouldn't be you if you weren't."

"No, I'd b-be a b-better person."

"You _are _a good person, you just have flaws like everyone else."

He had more bad qualities than good. He was childish, possessive, harsh, shallow, selfish, bitter, immature, and stubborn. When he didn't like something, no one could ever convince him to like it. When he didn't like something, he had to say so or he would be unsatisfied. All he knew about himself was his bad qualities. "What are my good qualities?" He wanted, _needed _to know. Haruhi was always so honest, so he could depend on her to give him a good answer. He pulled away, rubbing his nose on his arm, his eyes meeting hers. "Please tell me." he pleaded softly. What did Ripley see in him these past nine months to ignore his flaws? She didn't know what he looked like, so it wasn't his looks that she had been after.

Haruhi thought for a moment, "Well, you're caring, but in your own way. Since you grew up depending on Kaoru and no one else, you have a hard time showing your feelings properly, but you mean well. You're funny, and have the ability to cheer people up with your jokes or pranks. You're artistic; you don't know this, but I followed your art blog all the time. You have talent with the paintbrush." She set a hand on his head, giving him a warm smile. "And when you love someone, you love them forever."

"I loved you for six years."

"I know." Haruhi put a finger under Hikaru's chin, lifting his gaze to hers. "But I believe your heart is going to another woman."

"She won't answer me..."

Haruhi gave a frown, "Come on, get some breakfast. I made you all your favorites."

**...\~/...**

Haruhi stood over the sink, hand washing the pans she used. It was strange hearing Hikaru so quiet. She could remember all the times he had been silent around her and it had always seemed like the day was never complete without hearing his loud voice sometimes. His quietness reminded her of the first time he and Kaoru had their first serious fight. Kaoru had been friendly and talkative as usual, but Hikaru had been distant with both of them, depending on Hunny and Mori for comfort the whole time. Haruhi looked back at him over her shoulder, sending him a solemn look. He was going through his breakfast of pancakes and syrup slowly, staring longingly at his phone. He wanted her to call him so bad; it hurt her heart to watch him.

She watched as Hikaru grabbed his phone quickly when it lit up and vibrated. His shoulders fell as he read the screen, throwing his phone onto the island. The dark-haired man shoved his plate to the side, the pancakes barely eaten, Hikaru burying his head into his arms on the table.

"Can I read it?" she asked, assuming it was another Red Hue match-up.

"It's pathetic."

Haruhi switched on his phone.

_Hey Hikaru,_

_My name's Olivia and I'm very glad that Red Hue matched us up because we basically have the same interests. Like you, I'm becoming a game designer too, and hope to work with EA someday. I'm currently studying at New York City's Art Institute. I have to say though, I don't meet any of your requirements when it comes to what you're looking for in a woman. _

_Hope to hear from you!_

_Olivia_

"She seems to be nice." Haruhi commented, setting his phone on the table. "Why's she pathetic?"

"Because she's not her." Hikaru mumbled. "I hate Red Hue. Why'd I ever have to go on there in the first place?"

"You wouldn't have met Ripley."

Hikaru went quiet.

"What are you even doing here, Haruhi?"

"Like I said, I want to take you on a date."

"You're married. I can't take a married woman on a date."

"Alright, then let's just go on an outing. Get you some fresh air."

"Fine."

**...\~/...**

They were in front of Gamestop. Hikaru gave her a weird look when they entered the store, the bell tingling lightly. "Uh, Haruhi, we don't have to come here just because I like video games. We can go somewhere else."

Haruhi gave a sigh, "I'm actually here for Tamaki. He's obsessed with this game called Super Smash Brothers. He plays it when he's not working."

"Well, duh, it's an awesome game! I remember playing the first edition with Kaoru."

The brunette frowned, "I think it's a stupid game. Now Tamaki wants to get all the Nintendo games." She held up a credit card. "He even gave me his card to get every Nintendo game in here. Know of any?"

"Of course! Let's see..."

Flipping through all these old games made him nostalgic. He remembered the times when he and Kaoru would beg their mom and dad to buy them the latest game, spending hours on end on their Gameboys and Nintendo 64. He remembered dressing up as Charmander while Kaoru was Pikachu for Halloween, their mother making the costumes for them. He remembered their handmade cardboard Go-Karts based off of Mario Karts cars and how they would race each other through the gardens, making car sounds as they zoomed towards the center fountain. And he remembered all the times when he and Ripley would spend hours on end reminiscing about their childhood and those games.

Haruhi was complaining about them.

It bothered him more than it should've.

"Why do people even play these...?" Haruhi mumbled, throwing a game back into its pile.

He knew why: they allowed people to escape from real life. Ever since he was little, video games had been a way to vent his anger, to ignore all the troubling thoughts he had growing up, to feel like he could do anything. Video games gave him the chance to be anything he could be. In role-playing games, he had the decision to become a knight in shining armor, a mystical and wise mage, or a wolf in a sheep's costume, faking innocence whenever he performed evil deeds. In war games, he had the sense of duty as he shot down one villain after another. Horror games gave him the scare and thrill he needed at times to cure his boredom. He knew he wasn't the only one like that in the world. Games were a stress reliever when used in the proper way.

Hikaru watched Haruhi stare blankly at a Pokemon game, not understanding the awesomeness of the game. His first team consisted of Charizard, Venomoth, Nidoking, Electrode, Golem, and Scyther. Raising them all the way up to level one hundred had been a pain in his ass, but it had been worth it when he completed the whole game.

She just threw it down without a care.

Ripley would have never done that.

She probably would've picked it up with a big grin and recited all the names of her Pokemon with pride.

Hikaru picked the game back up, gazing at it with half-lidded eyes.

He needed to get out of here.

"Hey, Haruhi, can we go somewhere else? I'm getting kind of bored."

"Uh, yeah, sure. Let me pay for this."

"I'm going to wait outside."

"Okay... Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine."

**...\~/...**

**Places that they went to in New York City:**

**1. Larry's Store of Superpowers: **Ever since he met Ripley, she had turned him on to comic books. He had made it a weekly thing to go to this specific comic book store since it was closest to his apartment. Although it had been weird going in there every Saturday since all the nerdy men wanted to become his instant sidekick and the pimple-faced girls wanted to be his lover, the store had become his secret haven. The owner was nice, though, telling him everything there was to know about comics when Hikaru had told him that he was interested. The Hulk had become his favorite, especially since he sometimes wanted to turn into a colossal, green beast when he was angry and destroy things. But Captain America was also one of his favorites. Captain America's pure heart, loveable personality, and loyalty to his comrades reminded Hikaru of Kaoru at times.

But Haruhi found no interest in comic books.

She even called them dumb, which a lot of customers looked at her with a gasp.

Hikaru felt two feet tall when everyone in the store glared at him when they realized Haruhi was with him.

This was so embarrassing.

"Let's go. It's obvious you don't want to be here."

**2. Yankee's Stadium: **Haruhi _actually _got them baseball tickets to the Yankees game. He almost fainted when she pulled them out of her purse. He wasn't exactly a fan of baseball, but he would have never imagined Haruhi forcing herself through an entire three hours of men hitting a ball and running around a diamond. Nope. She _actually _went all out on it. When one of the players hit the ball and three different guys ran after it, there was popcorn flying when she jumped out of her seat, yelling for the Yankees to run home. It was the most amusing thing he had seen in awhile.

"Who knew that you'd get all excited over baseball?" Hikaru commented as she sat down.

"Tamaki took me to a baseball game back in Japan and...I don't know...it just gets me all riled up."

"Haruhi Fujioka being enthusiastic? Never heard of such a thing!" he teased.

"Oh hush... Does Ripley like baseball?"

"She's been to one baseball game which was between the St. Louis Cardinals and the Chicago Cubs. She's a Cardinals fan."

Haruhi noticed the faraway look in his eyes as he stared at his lap. His face was a deeper hue, cheeks blazed with a red blush. She had to wonder how Ripley was doing. Kaoru had said he tried to apologize, but whatever he said either made it worse or made her burst into tears. Haruhi looked out into the baseball diamond. She wished Ripley could see the state Hikaru was in right now, with his sadness and drunkenness. It was obvious that he felt terrible about what he said and was now wishing he could take it all back. But never in a million years had she thought that Hikaru would turn to alcohol to cure his spinning mind. The first she had ever seen that frightening side of him was at her wedding. After that day, she never wanted to see that side of him again.

He loved Ripley, it was completely and totally obvious.

But what were his feelings for her? Haruhi had rejected him all those years ago, but he had never gotten over her.

This was the objective behind the date. If he still had feelings for her, she'd try and get rid of them.

He needed to move on.

"Do you regret what you said to her?" Haruhi asked.

Hikaru's eyes closed, "Yes, terribly so. I...I-I wish I could tell her I'm sorry, but she won't answer me. I can understand perfectly why, though. She's probably disgusted by me now." He gave a small, nervous laugh. "Hell, _I'm _even disgusted with myself."

She went to open her mouth, but the crowd gave a roar when the announcer shouted, "AND THE YANKEES WIN!"

**...\~/...**

**3. Bed, Bath, and Beyond: **Yes, they actually went there. Haruhi wandered into the store without telling him. Said something about him desperately needing new pots and pans. As they weaved throughout the aisles, she would stop abruptly and pick up everything. Haruhi reminded him of a child who wanted everything their eyes could land on. He guessed this was her type of store, which contained items that were practical rather than materialistic. That was the kind of person she was-practical, while Tamaki wanted everything. It was funny how opposite the married couple were; Haruhi was usually dull and unenthusiastic while Tamaki was energetic and dramatic. As he trailed behind her, watching her closely, Hikaru began to note the differences between them.

Haruhi had one goal and that was to become a lawyer; Hikaru had a whole list of things he wanted to do before he died.

Haruhi was content with staying in one place; Hikaru wanted to explore the world, even if he had already done that.

Haruhi was scared to death of thunderstorms; he found it calming to listen to the claps of thunder and the harsh whistling of the wind. Come on! He even wanted to see an actual tornado!

She was bad at art; he was good at it.

She was sociable and easily approachable; he was terrible at interacting with others.

The brunette in front of him smiled when she picked up a toothbrush holder in the shape of a frog. "Tamaki would love this. Remember that frog-shaped gumball machine he gave you for Christmas?" she asked.

Hikaru nodded, "I still have it. It's in my bedroom." He lifted up his wrist, "And remember this? I wear it every day." It was the bike chain bracelet she had given him back in December. He couldn't believe it was that long ago when he had been single and lonely as hell. For a moment there, before Haruhi came back, he thought he was going to end up in that dark world again. He was scared to death of it and he knew that the 'I don't like the way you look' episode would haunt him for the rest of his life. Hikaru wished he wasn't so difficult to live with.

"I got it from a consignment store Tamaki and I passed by."

Hikaru looked to his right and spotted something that Ripley would love in an instant. He laughed, picking it up, showing it off. "Look at this!" It was a black, metal sign on a matching spiral that said 'You can't just have one cat; you need forty-three others'. Haruhi stood there with a blank expression. "What's so funny about it?"

"This fits Ripley to a T! She always says how she would never be able to live without a cat."

Haruhi smiled warmly, "Hikaru, do you miss her?"

His expression grew soft, "You know that saying about how you don't know how much you appreciate something until it's gone?"

"Yeah."

"I'm living it right now." He put the cat sign back on the shelf. "For a long time, I was reminded of you wherever I went. The littlest things I connected to our years together and that's what kept my love for you so strong. Then, I met Ripley, and my world began to change. She was this woman I could count on to make me feel better after so many people slapped me back into reality. I…I really fell for her." He clutched at his shirt. "There was this time for three months when she wouldn't talk to me and I didn't know why. Haruhi, I was so lonely. I was going into withdraw, as pathetic as that sounds. And now this…" He quickly ran his sleeve over his eyes, shaking his head. "What if I never hear from her again? I blew her off… I probably deserve this. Maybe…maybe I'll finally learn how to treat a woman correctly."

Haruhi grabbed his hand. It was clammy from sweat. She remembered all the times back in high school when he had grabbed her hands and they had never felt like this. It was weird seeing him like this.

"I think your bond with her is too strong. I don't think Ripley would be the type of person to drop you like that."

"I deserve it. She's done so much for me and I had to go and…hurt her…"

Their fingers intertwined and he thought nothing of it.

"Come on, Hikaru, let's go get something to eat."

**4. Alexander's Café: **

This part of their "date" would've had potential.

If it hadn't been for Cassidy's incessant staring.

The beanie-clad woman literally pulled up a chair, tucked her intertwined fingers under her chin, and locked her eyes onto Hikaru.

He and Haruhi tried their best to ignore it.

"What are you getting, Hikaru?" Haruhi asked. "I don't really know what to get."

"I'm thinking about the avocado chicken club. Pretty good; I've had it before."

"You shouldn't do that, Hika." Cassidy said snidely, a smirk twitching at her lips. "Lots of carbs. May make you _fat._"

After that, their conversation was uninterrupted.

Until their food actually came. Cassidy was still staring at him.

"I heard that smearing avocado on your skin helps clean out pores, preventing bacteria from building up in them because no one wants _acne, _right, Hikaru? _Acne's _really gross, isn't it, _Hikaru._ I mean, who would want someone that has _acne?_" By this time, Hikaru's head was bent down, bangs covering his eyes. He knew exactly what Cassidy was getting at. Cassidy was a lot like him in some ways; she wasn't afraid to say what was on her mind. "I have to wonder if there are any remedies that will help fade _scars. _I have a few unsightly ones on my arms I was hoping to get rid of because marred flesh is just so...so...how would you describe it, Hikaru? Ugly, right?" The feeling of dread was beginning to take over again. His stomach felt like it was burning from the inside out. Nausea suddenly swept over him.

Haruhi leaned forward, glaring in Cassidy's direction. "Leave him alone. This isn't the time to play mind games."

"Aw, but I was just beginning to have fun, especially since I was winning." Cassidy answered snidely, sneering.

The brunette stood from her chair, pointing towards the kitchens. "Go away, Cassidy." Haruhi hissed. "He doesn't need this right now."

Cassidy stared at her through half-closed eyes, her face adorning a bored expression. Finally, the young woman stood from her chair. "Hn, whatever, I wouldn't be doing this to him if he hadn't been a dick in the first place." Cassidy mumbled before heading to the kitchens. Hikaru continued to stare at his plate, his lunch untouched.

"Hikaru, do you want to-"

"She's right, you know." Hikaru muttered. All around him, people chattered happily, and he could hear whispers from women, who were talking about him. All they could see was his outside, but they had no idea what he was really like on the inside. They were just like him, judging someone off of their looks. Why did he have to do that with Ripley though? He knew what she was like personality-wise, so why couldn't he had just accepted the way she looked? "I was a dick to her. Why couldn't I had been more kind?"

Haruhi sighed, "That's what everyone wants to know, but truthfully, we were all kind of expecting it."

"Thanks. How kind of all of you..." Hikaru replied blandly.

His phone began to vibrate and he immediately grabbed it out of his pocket. A groan escaped his lips as he threw his phone on the table, throwing his head back as he rubbed his face. Three new messages... "Who are they from?" he heard Haruhi ask. "Ripley?"

"No, one's from Red Hue, another threatening text from Ripley's roommates, and...a message from my mother."

"You don't sound too happy about any of them."

"I've gotten used to the death threats from her roommates and all the Red Hue match-ups, but...my mom and I kind of got into a fight."

"About what?"

"Kaoru blabbed to her about what happened last week."

**...\~/...**

_**Five Days Earlier:**_

_Light flooded into his room when the curtains were pulled back. A groan came from the lump under the covers when someone shook him awake, long nails digging into his sides. His head throbbed when he opened his eyes, the light causing his skull to pulsate with pain. Another moan of pain came from Hikaru as he rubbed his face, the covers being pulled off of him. Every sound the person made was intensified ten times; the clacking of heels, the smooth tones of a woman's voice, and the ruffling sound of his comforter being wadded into a ball. For a moment, he thought maybe she came back to him, to check on him. _

_"Ripley...?" he croaked out. He really wished he hadn't drunk so much whiskey the night before._

_"No, it's your mother." _

_That's when his bloodshot eyes focused. There she was- Yuzuha Hitachiin. She was dressed in a V-neck black dress with a flowered camisole beneath, her signature black heels adding a few more inches to her height. But there was something different about her. She wasn't smiling; no, she looked pissed. Her upset demeanor was foreign to him because never once had she'd been angry with them. His mother was known for her carefree and laid-back attitude, never anything bad. The deep frown that graced her painted lips didn't look right on her beautiful features._

_"Mom, go away. My head hurts..." he whined, covering his head with his pillow. That was yanked away from him as well._

_"Hangover getting to you, Hikaru? Kaoru told me you've resorted to alcohol." she hissed. "Go take a shower, you reek." she demanded. _

_Hikaru continued to lay there, his face buried in his arms. "...no..."_

_"What did you say?" she asked, the clicking of her heels stopping abruptly. Her head turned, looking at her eldest son with narrowed eyes. _

_"I said no." Hikaru shot back, lifting his head momentarily so she could hear him before dropping his head again. _

_Not a second later, a pair of arms wrapped around him, dragging him off the bed. Hikaru struggled against her, grabbing onto anything that would prevent her from dragging him to the bathroom. He wanted to stay in bed and sleep away all his problems. It was true, he probably did smell bad, because he hadn't done anything but drink, sleep, and pee since the incident with Ripley. His body was numb and weak, not wanting to do anything else. Now his dear ol' mom was forcing him to do something that he didn't want to do. Finally he gave in, granting her wish of him actually bathing. Hikaru slumped against the toilet when his mom dropped him, turning to fill the tub with water._

_"I can't believe my own son would turn to alcohol..." Yuzuha muttered, gazing at her son over her shoulder. His head hung forward. _

_Once the tub was full, Yuzuha helped her son stand. "Alright, strip." He obeyed her, albeit slowly. Once he was deprived of all clothing, he grabbed onto his mom for support as he stepped in. A shiver ran along his body as he dipped his foot in, "It's freezing." he mumbled, slipping his foot in all the way. A surprised gasp slipped from his lips when his lower half was enveloped by the cold water. "Mom, you can leave now."_

_"No, because I know you'll just get out and go back to bed." Yuzuha said, grabbing a bowl she had snatched from the kitchen so she could fill it with water and wash him properly. Once she had gotten him in the tub, he let her wash his body and hair without causing a problem, his body used to the coldness. The cold water was what he needed, his temperature spiking almost every day since the incident. After draining the water, she wrapped her son in a towel, noticing how thin he had gotten over the last few years. Her son was handsome, still was, but she couldn't understand what girls saw in him when it came to his body. She sat Hikaru on the toilet, drying his hair with another towel, noting how she would have to use some make-up to cover up the dark circles beneath his eyes. Yuzuha blow-dried his hair and said, "I got this," she said, pulling a box of dye out a plastic bag that sat on the sink. "To dye your hair again. Your roots are beginning to show again. Maybe I should cut your hair..." _

_"Do whatever you want." Hikaru murmured, his dead eyes cast downward. _

_And she did. She cut his bangs back a little so that they didn't completely cover his eyes, and she snipped hair off here and there. Then, she applied the dye, making sure not to cause a mess. While his hair dried, Yuzuha selected a simple, long-sleeved, black T-shirt and jeans, helping him into his clothes. "Hikaru," Yuzuha began, running her fingers along certain parts of skin. Nasty-looking bruises stood out against his pale skin. "What are these from?"_

_"Bar fight..." he said, his voice hoarse. "The day I...hurt Ripley..."_

_"Running your mouth again?"_

_"Yeah..."_

_"Kaoru's told me you've gotten beat up a lot this past year."_

_Hikaru remained silent. What else had Kaoru told her? About his depression, his being in love with Haruhi, his relationship with Ripley and how he ruined it? If he had to describe his relationship with his mother, it wouldn't be considered close, like some kids were with their parents. Every time Ripley talked about her parents, he remembered the twinge of envy he would always get. His parents had never been there for him or Kaoru, always hiring a nanny to come take care of them. As she styled his hair, he remembered the first time when she got him and his twin mixed up, smiling as she did so. How does a mother not know between her own sons?_

_"Brush your teeth, then come to the kitchen to eat some breakfast." _

_"Why would I brush my teeth now?"_

_"Because I said so."_

**...\~/...**

_His head was in his hands as he listened to the sizzling pop of bacon on the stove. The sun's rays burst through the window, making his eyes hurt. He felt refreshed after his mom took care of him, but he couldn't help but want to reach out and grab the neck of a vodka bottle and mix it in with his orange juice. He wanted to feel that buzz he always got when he drowned himself in liquor, but his mother being there stopped him from doing so. It was strange seeing his mother standing at the stove, let alone in a kitchen. When he was a kid, that was the one room she always wanted to avoid, only going in there when she absolutely needed to. _

_"It's been a long time since I made breakfast for you. Remember when I made breakfast for you and your brother when I would come home early to surprise you?" she asked, her familiar smile set upon her face once more. Reminiscing always put her in a better mood. _

_"No, I don't."_

_"Well, I did. I remember when you two-"_

_"Because you were never home." Hikaru hissed. _

_Yuzuha froze._

_She turned off the stove, setting the pan aside. Forget breakfast; she had burnt it anyway._

_"Hikaru, let's talk about what happened last week with your Red Hue friend." Yuzuha began, setting her hand on her son's shoulder._

_"Don't touch me!" he yelled, jumping back from his stool. She watched as the stool clattered to the ground. Her eyes met his. "Don't...touch...me..." he repeated, his voice shaky. Yuzuha's heart jumped at the sight of her son's gaze, so full of hate and anger. There had only been a few other instances when she had witnessed her son this upset. But then she saw confusion spread across his face, almost like he was having second thoughts about what he was going to say. The confusion only lasted for a few seconds before he looked mean again. _

_"Hikaru..."_

_"You made me this way." he interjected. "You _made me _say those things to her." _

_"What exactly did I make you?" She was glad she had the island table between her and her son. Kaoru had mentioned something about Hikaru getting violent sometimes. "What did I make you say?"_

_"You know damn well what you did to me!" he yelled, wiping his eyes with the palm of his hand. "You made me bitter and cynical and judgemental! You...you made me say what I did to her! I never wanted to say those words to her, but you made me do it! You made me into a shallow, little shit!" Hikaru shouted, pointing at her. "I hate how you always say you did a good job raising us! I hate how you always say you have two wonderful sons! You were never there! Our _nannies _raised us, not you! You were never there to see us grow up!" He smashed his fist against the table, causing his mother to jump. "Fuck! Why'd you even have kids!"_

_"Because we wanted a family..."_

_"No! No, you didn't! If you wanted a family, you would've been there for us! Do you remember the year when Kaoru broke his arm after he fell down the stairs?" He scowled when she shook her head. "That's right. You don't. Because you weren't even there. You were off in Bali on some business trip. Business trips... Why'd you even get married; you were already married to your job."_

_"I married your father because I loved him!" Yuzuha fought back. "I loved you both! Just because I wasn't there didn't mean I didn't know what was going on! Just...there must've been some incidents that I wasn't informed of!" Just the thought of her youngest son having a broken arm hurt her. How come she had never known? Well, the nanny at that time had always hated her; she just took the job because she needed money. "Hikaru, I'm sorry..."_

_"No, you're not." Hikaru said lowly. _

_"Yes, I am."_

_"NO, YOU'RE NOT!" he yelled at her. Yuzuha was taken aback; never once had he raised his voice to her, even when he was angry. "If you loved us, you would've been able to tell us apart! The one that is not Kaoru is me and the one that isn't me is Kaoru! How hard was that to figure out?! A mother should be able to know her sons apart, whether they look same or not!"_

_"Hikaru, I always knew you two apart! It was a game! I was just kidding when I got you guys mixed around!"_

_She shouldn't have said that. _

_His whole being changed when she said that. His shoulders fell, a hurt expression dominating his angry one. _

_He looked like he was about to cry._

_"Some game that is..." he mumbled. "Fuckin' with your kids' minds. Real nice game."_

_"Hikaru, I'm sorry. Kaoru understood when I told him, so why can't you-"_

_"Because I'm not Kaoru! Didn't I already tell you that?! Kaoru is forgiving, sweet, and understanding, while I'm this!" he said, gesturing to himself. "Horrible, selfish, and cold, that's what I am. If anyone were to ever mistake me for Kaoru, they're too stupid to live." His breathing was uneven, fingers running through his ash hair. "Oh God, she can't have me. She's too good for me." Hikaru croaked out, his voice sounding like it was holding a sob back. He was pacing back and forth, clutching at his dark hair. "I...I really hurt her. She deserves someone better. I'm never going to change. Never..."_

_He was breaking down. _

_"GODDAMN IT!" Yuzuha backed up when Hikaru picked up one of the stools and threw it against the wall. China plates that had been sitting on shelves fell to the ground, shattering to shards when the stool made contact. Yuzuha watched as every last bit of sanity left her son as he punched at the wall repeatedly, his knuckles busting open, blood dripping to the floor, staining and smudging the wall, streaming down his hand and fingers. His teeth ground together, his eyes narrowed and weeping as he continued to attack the wall. She stepped forward, but hesitated when the thought of her son turning on her crossed her mind. But his hand gave a sickening crack and she summoned up the courage to grab his shoulder._

_"Hikaru, stop this! You need to calm down!"_

_"Get out!" he yelled at her face. "GET OUT! I DON'T WANT YOU HERE! YOU'RE NOT EVEN MY MOM, YOU'RE JUST A STRANGER!"_

_Yuzuha swallowed a sob back as she hurried out the kitchen door, collected her things, and rushed out the front door, which Hikaru kicked close. _

_His hand throbbed with pain. _

_Crying on the other side of the door flooded his ears. _

_And he broke down even more. _

_Hikaru crumpled to the ground, rocking back and forth with his head in his hands. Tears stained his face, mind running a mile a minute._

_He ruined everything- his friendships, his relationship with his mother, and the feelings he had for Ripley. _

_But there was something that he realized and it made him freeze. _

_His fear had been reborn._

_He had officially returned to that dark world._

**...\~/...**

**Present Time:**

"So, you broke your hand during a fight with your mom?" Haruhi asked.

"Yeah... I really lost it that day."

"Have you read any of her messages?"

"To scared to look."

Haruhi hummed in response, sitting back in her chair.

"Haruhi, are we almost done with this date? I really just want to go home."

"No, we still have a few places to go to."

Hikaru sighed, rubbing his hand along his black cast. "Fine. Let's get going then."

"But our lunch..."

"Haruhi, please, let's just go."

**...\~/...**

**5. Manhattan Mall: **The sound of hundreds of people hurt his ears and his eyes hurt from the bright lights that shone overhead, but he followed Haruhi nonetheless. He was surprised to see her entering so many clothing stores since she never really cared for such a thing and would rather sit in the food court than actually shop. Hikaru was beginning to get irritated though because everything that would've looked good on her she passed and everything that would make her look bad she liked. Haruhi, being a brunette and light-skinned, always looked good in light colors, like pink and white. He nearly snatched her bald-headed when she picked up a puke green peacoat.

"But I like it." she said. Was she pouting?

He stared at her for a moment, taking in her wide gaze and slightly pouty expression. The way she looked reminded him of Tamaki; maybe the blonde idiot was rubbing off on her a little. And he couldn't help but snicker, using one hand to try and cover his laugh and his other set itself on top Haruhi's head, ruffling her dark hair. She turned her gaze from the coat to him, setting her doe-like look on him. "Why are you laughing?" she asked, her tone of voice reminding him of Ripley.

And that's when he stopped.

People around them whispered about how cute of a couple they were, but he knew they would never be a couple. But as he watched her, he had to wonder if this was the woman he still wanted to be with. She was intelligent, beautiful, and kind- things that he had wanted in a woman. They had nothing in common, though. He was a gamer, an artist, and truthfully, Ripley had turned him into a bit of a nerd since he liked comic books and superheroes now. Haruhi thought they were all stupid, which had bothered him greatly when she told him. Haruhi still had the ability to make him smile and share his true feelings to, but he had to wonder how they would actually be as a couple. Would they get into fights? Would they understand each other and get along? Well, she was dating Tamaki, and he was like a big kid, so Hikaru and Haruhi _would _most likely get along since he had the mindset of a child.

Haruhi was still an amazing person in his eyes.

And he loved her.

"Haruhi..." he called out to her, his voice low.

With a smile, she turned towards him. "Yeah?"

He did something that he never thought he would be able to do in a million years. It was like his body just took over without checking in on his mind.

He kissed her.

His chapped lips against her smooth ones; it was a feeling he had imagined for many years. Even when he had confessed to her all those years back, he had never made a move to actually kiss her. And every time he thought about it, thought about kissing her, he always thought he would see stars or fireworks would go off in his head. He always thought there would be a spark between them, like electricity coursing through his body.

But there was no spark.

He didn't feel anything.

After Hikaru pulled away, his golden orbs met her beautiful brown ones. She looked surprised at what he had done, but then she got upset. "Hikaru, I'm married! You can't just-! This was just to get you to realize your feelings for-!"

"I don't love you anymore..." he mumbled.

She stopped, "What?"

That's when it sunk in. A huge grin spread across his face when he jumped around. "I don't love you anymore! I mean, I still do, but only as a friend. But still, I didn't feel anything! There was no spark, like I always thought there would be! Oh my God, Ripley! I love her! I'm so stupid! I...I have to go apologize! I have to go see her! Haruhi, I love her!" He started walking away with long strides, but he doubled back, grabbing Haruhi's hand. "C'mon, can't leave another girl stranded in New York City!"

His heart was pounding. All this time, he thought he was still in love with Haruhi, but he wasn't.

He was holding hands with the wrong woman.

He had kissed the wrong woman.

He had been in love with the wrong woman for so long.

Hikaru took out his phone, pulling up Ripley's number. He called it, listening to the ringing on the other side. Voice mail, like always. She probably wouldn't listen to his message, but he couldn't help but beam when he said after the beep, "Ripley, I'm coming."

**...\~/...**

Before he left, Haruhi threw herself into his arms, pulling him into a warm embrace. "I'm so happy for you." she whispered. Pulling away, she smiled up at him, tears brimming at the corners of her eyes. He would've never thought she'd actually cry over him. He gave her a smile in return, taking his thumbs and rubbing the tears away. "I just... Everyone was so worried about you for such a long time." she added. "I'm just so happy..."

"Thanks, Haruhi, you helped me realize a lot of things today." he said. "I have to go now. I have a lot of things I need to fix and I hope Ripley will accept me once more."

"Go." Haruhi said, pushing him towards the door. "And call me after it's over! I expect a happy ending!" she called after him, watching him hurry down the stairs.

"Don't worry! There will be! I'll make sure of it!" His voice bounced off the walls, echoing around the building.

Haruhi slumped against the door frame, her arms crossed loosely at the waist. Her phone was pressed to her ear, her husband finally answering on the other side.

"_How did everything go?_"

The brunette gave a small laugh, "Hikaru left. He's going after her now."

She could practically feel her husband smile through the phone, "_Good. I'm so glad._"

"Yeah, me too."

**...\~/...**

"Salem!" Hikaru shouted, bursting through the doors to Alexander's Cafe. Customers stopped what they were doing to watch him run into the kitchens, the staff ceasing in activity. "Salem, I'm over her! I...I love Ripley!" he said enthusiastically. The brown-haired man on the other side of the island stared at him with narrow eyes, a butcher's knife settled firmly in his right hand. "I was stupid for saying what I did to her! I was a total idiot, but I'm going to fix it! I promise! She's not a toy, or a distraction. She's a ten! No, she's a hundred! A thousand, even!" he informed with a grin.

Everyone was staring at Salem now, confused expressions on everyone's faces. The only one that seemed to understand was Cassidy, who looked at Hikaru with the same narrowed gaze. Hikaru's eyes were planted on Salem, waiting for a response. He was eager for one. No, he needed one. Salem was the one that gave him so much advice; this was the man that had gone through the same experiences. Come on, Salem...a response...

That's when he got a smirk.

Salem reached into his pocket, throwing Hikaru a set of car keys. "Take the truck. It's the bright red one in the back."

Hikaru replied with a grin, "Thanks. Thanks for everything."

"No problem. Now, go get her, Fruitcup."

And he did just that.

**...\~/...**

**September 26th, 11:39 A.M.:**

**In the Bi-Polar Weather State:**

The truck came to a screeching halt in front of a small apartment building. Salem's GPS screamed at him to turn around, but he jumped out of the car after turning the ignition off. Hikaru ran to a set of old, rickety stairs, taking careful steps as he ascended up the stairs. Apartment 32- Ripley's Apartment. His heart was pounding as he opened the screen door to knock on the door behind it. His hands were sweaty and clammy, clenching and unclenching his fingers before he knocked three times. Stomach churning, a burning sensation spreading out his entire body, this was it. This was the moment when he would try and fix everything.

He was going to confess.

He was going to tell Ripley he loved her.

When the door opened, he knew he couldn't run away now.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't the asshole." a red-haired woman announced when the door swung open.

"Yeah, that's me." he said, nodding and diverting his eyes from her greenish-brown eyes. "Is Ripley home?"

"Oh no, you'll have to deal with us first." And the woman pulled him inside by grabbing on his shirt collar.

Hikaru found himself surrounded by four, very angry women.

He was in hell.

* * *

**Hikaru's going to be so dead. He's going to be chewed out for sure. So, that was the Hikaru/Haruhi chapter. Not exactly how I wanted it to flow, but all I really wanted out of this chapter was the kissing scene and the meeting of the Roomies. Poor Hikaru, having gone through so much pain and agony throughout this story. Well, readers, I am very sad to inform that there are only six more chapters left of this fanfic. It has been a very long, slightly tedious journey, but I loved it nonetheless. I have you all to thank for encouraging me to get through this and I'm very, very, VERY happy this story has touched some of you. And I made my goal of 100 reviews! So, I hope I'll see you all again when I post my Kaoru/OC fanfic. I really hope it's as good as this one and Hikaley will be making an appearance in it at times, as well as a lot of my OCs you see in here already. Hopefully, the OC I made for Kaoru is an original one (in my mind, I think she is...-_-'), but you all will be the judge of that if you read it. :D**

**Author's Note- Fin**


	18. Hold Her Hand And Never Let Go

**Step #18:**

**Hold Her Hand and Never Let Go**

**...\~/...**

**September 26th, 11:39 A.M.:**

**In the Bi-Polar Weather State:**

Hikaru felt two feet tall under the scary glares of four, angry women. They were all standing there with crossed arms and narrowed gazes. He quickly took in the appearance of all four, trying desperately to avoid all eye contact. The one that had grabbed him by the collar had long, dark red hair, greenish-brown eyes hidden behind glasses, and a scowl that could match Tara's. The woman to her right was about the same height, but she had a head full of long, tight curls, light green eyes and glasses, and seemingly natural reddish skin, looking like she had a permanent sunburn or something. The next was light-skinned, small-statured, and the skinniest of the four (the other three being overweight), and had dark brown, almond-shaped eyes; she had glasses as well. The last one was Renee, remembering her from the week before. She was the tallest out of all of them with black hair that was perfect for an afro, but hers was pulled back in a ponytail, strands sticking out from both sides of her head; dark eyes that weren't hidden behind glasses like everyone else and skin that was the color of hot chocolate. Hikaru immediately assumed the third one was Erika, but he looked between the other two, trying to figure out which one was Dawn and which one was MJ.

"You have a lot of explaining to do, _asshole._" the red-head spat.

Well, that was definitely MJ…

"Please, I need to talk to Ripley. I…I want to apologize for what I said. Just tell me where she and-"

"Do you really think we'd tell you where she was after you said that to her?" Erika interrupted. Her voice was cold, Hikaru finding the tone of her voice foreign. Every time she had talked over the phone, Erika sounded so nice. It was surprising that he could get on the bad side of even the warmest of people. "For your information, though, she's not here at the moment."

The four closed in on him, Renee pushing him back against the door. His head hit the door, bringing his hand up to rub the back of his head.

"I, uh, enjoyed getting all your threatening messages… Very colorful…"

"It was a mistake for you to come here, douchebag." Dawn hissed. He didn't think she was capable of such an icy voice either.

Before he could answer or before the roommates could do anything to him, the door jumped open before slamming shut. It repeated this action a few more times before a voice said on the other side, "What the hell? Guys, let me in!" Hikaru gasped, turning to rip the door open.

There she stood.

Ripley…

His throat fell to his stomach when she gave him a disgusted look. "Ugh, it's _you._"

"Ripley, I-"

"Run, Ripley, run!" MJ shouted, grabbing Hikaru around the waist, the other three following suit. This gave Ripley the chance to turn away and hurry down the stairs, away from him. No, no she couldn't leave him. Not again… Hikaru struggled against their holds, clawing at their arms and hands, yelling at them to let go. Shit, he couldn't see her anymore. "LET GO!" Hikaru shouted, prying MJ's arms off of him. That's when he wriggled free, bursting through the screen door, rushing down the steps.

"Ripley, wait!" Hikaru cried out, jumping the last few stairs. "Please, don't go! I need to talk to you!" Gravel crunched beneath his boots, dust being kicked up. He saw her disappear around the corner of the apartment building, and he did the same.

She was so close.

He had to do this.

**…\~/…**

"Ripley, wait! Please, wait!"

She came to an abrupt stop, turning on him. Hikaru froze in spot when he saw her angered expression- narrowed eyes, a scowl twisting her lips, but despite it all, he could still see the hurt. It killed him inside and out to see her look so wounded and when she hissed the words, "Go away, I don't want you here!" It was like a knife was plunged straight into his gut. A frustrated noise came from the woman before him before she stomped off in the direction of the railroad tracks. He followed her, hoping that what he had to say would sink in and she'd forgive him. He hoped... Hope seemed to be the only thing he could rely on right now. They finally stopped by a large oak tree, Ripley leaning her shoulder against it. She wasn't looking at him; he wished she would.

"Please, Ripley, let me say what I have to say." he pleaded. "Please..."

"What? Are you going to make snarky comments about my weight? Oh, how about we make me feel even worse about my acne and scars by using little, degrading jabs, hm?" He watched as she shook her head, crossing her arms. "Go away, Hikaru... Leave me alone. I'm trying to get over you..."

He knew he deserved those words, but he was going to try and make her think differently. This was his one chance, his only chance, and he wanted more than anything to be able to hold her close to him after this. He wanted to be able to comfort her again, and whisper to her that everything was going to be okay, that he was never going to leave her again. Hikaru's heart pounded and he clenched and unclenched his hands, stretching his fingers out. He wanted nothing more than to be with her and show her everyday just how much he loved her.

"Ripley, I wanted to apologize for how I acted last week. I was just surprised by how you looked and...wait, I meant that I was just shocked..." Of course this was going to happen. Why did he have to stumble over his words all the time?

"It's fine... I get what you're trying to say."

"But it's not fine! What I said to you... It reminds me of what I said to all those girls back in middle school and I thought I had matured since then, but I guess I haven't. When I saw you for the first time, I _was s_urprised because I'm not used to girls that look like you. I'm used to them being a hundred pounds and not so..."

"Fat? Hefty? Bulky?"

It bothered him how she looked at herself like that. He guessed that he didn't help when he said 'I don't like the way you look' to her, but experiencing her low self-esteem in person, it was different. Hikaru stared at her back, wanting her to turn around and confront him face to face, but even he wouldn't want to look him straight in the eye right now. The ash-haired man took a step forward.

"Will you look at me, please?" Did she even know what she was doing to him right now?

"No."

"Ripley, I want you to know that I think you're beautiful. I was-"

"No you don't!" she shouted. He got what he wanted. She was looking at him now, but he wished she wouldn't look so sad while doing so. Him making her feel this way; he remembered that had been one of the last things he wanted to do to her. Ripley gestured towards an imaginary person as she said, "You think _she's _beautiful, not me! You wanted _her _this _whole damn time!_" She wiped her eyes with the palm of her hand, her brown eyes watering. She wasn't going to allow herself to cry in front of him. "Hell," Her voice was shaky. "You probably imagined me as her, right?" She was right. There had been times when he imagined she was Haruhi and the fact that they had so much in common made it even better. This woman knew him too well.

"Who's 'she'?" he asked gently. He wanted her to tell him what she was thinking. He wanted to get into her mind. He wanted her to open up to him.

"Haruhi!" Swipe to her eyes again. "E-ever since you told me about her, I-I knew I stood no chance. When I met her, I _definitely knew _I didn't stand a chance. She's really beautiful... I understand why you love her so much." She said love, not loved. She still thought he had feelings for Haruhi. He watched as she struggled to keep the tears back, her face becoming red and blotchy. "She's the kind of person I always wanted to look like- thin, that sleek hair, feminine. All I am is a-a...fuck, I don't know what I am."

"A girl with insecurities? A girl who really is beautiful and doesn't realize it."

Ripley sniffled, rubbing her nose. "Do you know how much it hurt seeing you with her? Treating her the way I wanted you to treat me? Whenever you looked at me, it was always full of disappointment and disgust. I just wanted you to accept me..."

He remembered how scared he had been when he first met Ripley. He had been so nervous about what he had said, thinking that he would say something offensive and drive her away. He had been so careful and when they were about to meet, he was so proud of himself for not messing up. _I don't like the way you look... _All those months of being cautious and look where he was, trying to get her back. He remembered all the times when he had looked at her last week, never holding back his disgust. He knew what he had been doing, but he didn't stop himself. His words and actions had hurt her so much, now she wouldn't even believe him when he called her beautiful.

"I don't love her anymore." Hikaru informed.

That caught her attention.

"Don't love her anymore? What-?"

"See, Haruhi came back to see if I was alright, and we kind of went on a date. I...kissed her..."

"You kissed her?" She sounded so sad.

"Please don't sound like that." he begged. "I didn't feel anything. No spark, no fireworks going off in my head, nothing. She helped me realize that there's only room for one woman in my life." He stared at her hard, his heart giving a jolt when their eyes met for a moment. She looked down, rubbing her arm with her damaged hand. He couldn't believe just last week he had been revolted by the thought of holding that hand. The way he had treated her…it made him sick.

"The worst part was that I _knew _why you weren't speaking to me." She sniffled again as she pulled something out of her back pocket. "I, um, looked at this a lot, just to remind myself that maybe someone like me had a chance to be with someone like you." Hikaru watched as she unfolded a piece of paper and she was about to turn it around when she added, "Don't think of me as creepy for keeping this with me. Promise?"

"Depends…" he said with a coy smirk.

She gave him an emotionless look, freezing. Then, she began to put it away, causing him to hold out a hand. "W-wait! I promise I won't judge! Just…show me…" Ripley gave him another look before pulling it back out.

It was the poster from when he and Kaoru modeled on Valentine's Day.

Oh shit…

"I've known for awhile now how you've looked. Don't think that I broke our deal because seriously, how can anyone ignore a group of fangirls squealing over someone who's supposed to be your lover?"

"I never wanted you to see that! Kaoru never said it was going to _your _mall!"

"Well, he said that your guys' poster was going to be put into all malls across America. Why wouldn't our mall count?"

"Because…because…I don't know! How come I couldn't come across a big picture of you?!"

"Because I'm not a model, dumbass! And it wasn't my fault that I came across it! It was just there! Blame the overenthusiastic fangirls! If it hadn't been for them, I would have never noticed!"

Hikaru screamed through gritted teeth. What happened to the almost-crying Ripley? What happened to their heartfelt conversation where it was going to end up him holding her close to him? Where did this angry, outspoken Ripley come from? Why did she have to call him a dumbass? He wasn't a dumbass! How was he supposed to know that their poster was going to end up in their hick mall?

"Why are you so frustrating?! Here I am, trying to apologize and make up for all the horrible things I said by calling you beautiful, but you're not listening! What happened to the adorable, understanding Ripley that would listen to everything I said?!"

"She's still here! And thank you for thinking I'm adorable!"

"You're welcome! Glad I could be of service!"

They looked away from each other, huffing. This was not how he wanted it to go… He wanted to be able to call her his girlfriend and hold her hand, not have her call him a dumbass and have to call her frustrating. Wait, did she accept the fact that he thought she was adorable, but not beautiful? He looked over at Ripley, wishing that she would look back at him. Her eyebrows were knitted together, arms crossed.

"Do you hate me?" he asked.

Ripley was silent for a moment, an annoyed expression trading in for her sad one a few moments ago. It looked like she wasn't going to answer, but then she sighed, sticking her hands in her pockets. "No," she said, shaking her head. "I don't hate you. It's actually…" She trailed off, leaving him in anticipation.

"WHAT?!"

"I'm not telling you." she said in a staccato way, tilting her head in different directions with each word.

"Fine, then. I'm not going to talk to you anymore!"

Ripley went quiet, crossing her arms. She distracted herself by scuffing the toe of her shoe against the ground. "Good, now I can talk." She continued to stare at the ground as she spoke. "Hikaru, when you said what you did to me, it immediately reminded me of how I felt in high school when my insecurities were at their peak. I felt ugly and useless and like I didn't amount to anything. Ever since I got out of that hellhole, my self-esteem has gotten better. I'm making new friends, I've had a few jobs that have pushed me out of my comfort zone, and I've been honing my skills. But then...'I don't like the way you look'. I literally felt my self-esteem plummet..." She was rubbing her arm again and she looked incredibly nervous. A small laugh escaped her lips, "You know, I was this close to not writing you." Ripley held up her hand, her thumb and index finger a centimeter apart. "These insecurities- my weight, acne, my entire look- scared me at going out and interacting with men. I sat at home while all my friends were out on dates. I was scared to date because I felt like guys wouldn't find me attractive and that they would reject me. I was afraid of the rejection, most of all. Hikaru felt his own eyes water when Ripley sent a sorrowful smile in his direction and said, "I guess those fears came true, didn't they.

_I don't like the way you look._

"Ripley, I-"

"And then I met you. I finally did summon up the courage to write you first. The way we hit it off, it gave me so much hope. Over these last nine months, I connected with you so well, that I had hope that you were _the _guy I was looking for, the guy that wouldn't judge me by my looks. But then, I saw those posters, and I thought you were so handsome..." A light blush dusted both their cheeks. She thought he was handsome... "Then I thought, 'how can a girl like me get a guy like that'?" Their eyes connected again and he felt his heart skip a beat. The sun was hitting her eyes at just the right angle and they were gorgeous. He didn't think Haruhi's could ever compete. "I know you, Hikaru. I know what you can be like because you showed me that guy for nine whole months. You cared about me and I cared about you."

"And I still do! Oh God, I still do!" Hikaru cried out, his voice wavering. "I was such an idiot for doing that to you and I want you to give me a second chance so I can be man you bonded with! I...I...just want to be with you. Please...give me another chance...please." He clutched at his chest, staring at the ground because he didn't want her to see the tears fall. "Oh God, if you left me...I wouldn't know what to do. Just the thought of it makes it hard to breathe. I...I want to love you and I want you to love me."

And she ran to him.

She ran right into his arms.

The place where she belonged.

"I forgive you, Hika." she said quietly.

His heart was beating rapidly and skipping beats and felt like it was swelling ten times its size when she said those four words. He was doing exactly what he wanted to do, holding her in his arms, feeling her warmth and her arms around him, clutching at his vest. His cheek rested on top her head, tears mixing in with her brown hair. They were both crying, something that she was finally allowing him to see. This is what he needed to do all along, be there for her and comfort her during her darkest times. She felt so good against him; he never wanted to let go.

"I'm never going to leave you again, you got that?" he whispered to her, scratching her back soothingly.

He felt so much joy and happiness that it felt like he was going to explode at any moment. He hadn't felt this way in forever, the feeling almost foreign to him, but he welcomed it with open arms. Stomach doing flips, butterflies fluttering around his insides, and an unbelievable warmth stretching from his head down to his toes; it was all because of this woman.

Ripley Barrett, the woman he was in love with.

"Hika," Ripley said, resting her cheek on his chest.

"Hm?" he hummed, too content to say anything. His eyes were closed and he was just holding her.

"Are we dating now?" she asked.

"Mm-hm..." Hikaru answered, nuzzling her hair, which smelled like green apples.

Then it sunk in.

Dating?

Ripley stepped away from him, wringing her hands together, her face now crimson. "I mean, we can try dating for...uh...a month." That's when she threw her hands up defensively. "I mean, if one month is too long, then we can shorten it! But, ya know, it'll be like a trial, and at the end of the month, I'll ask you if you still want to date and you can give me a simple yes or no answer!" The blush was spreading to her ears and neck now, her hands continuing to wring. "Is...um...is dating...too strong of a word? We could try...um...what word am I looking for...?"

Dating Ripley?

"Dating...?" he croaked out. The word felt so weird coming out of his mouth.

"Like I said, just a month! And we could-"

He didn't know what the hell went through his head when he grabbed the back of her head and pulled her towards him.

He didn't know what the hell he was doing when his lips lightly brushed against hers.

He didn't know what the hell to think when she pushed away quickly, not out of disgust, but from embarrassment.

All he did know was that when his lips met hers, it was like an electric current went through him, sending a thousand volts through his system. Fireworks whistled through his mind, a feeling he had never felt with anyone else. He was experiencing a buzz that nothing had ever given him before and it had all been from a simple brush of the lips. All he wanted to do now was hold her and never let go. But he couldn't ignore the way she shifted from foot to foot, fiddling with her fingers.

"Sorry. I just...I'm just not ready for that yet. I mean, the thought of dating a guy is kind of hard for me to accept..."

"Yeah, I understand. I didn't know what I was thinking. Really, I didn't. I just...wanted to..."

It was silent before Ripley said, "Hika, do you want to go on a date with me? Our last one was..."

Hikaru placed a finger on her lips to silence her. "Shhh, let's not talk about last meet. Matter of fact, let's just forget it. Let's treat this like our first meet." And he suddenly embraced her again, rubbing his cheek against the top of her head, nuzzling her hair again. "For right now, though, let me just hold you. I've been dying to do this for awhile."

"O-okay..."

And he held her so close.

He made a vow to never let her go.

**...\~/...**

**2:38 P.M.:**

**"Hick's" Mall:**

"I've never seen a grown man ride a carousel before." Ripley commented, shoving her hands into her pockets.

"That one guy was riding it too!" Hikaru said in his defense, throwing his hands up in the air.

"That's because he was with his kids!"

A cheeky grin spread across his face, Hikaru leaning in with arched eyebrows. "Well, maybe we should have a few in the future so I can ride without it being so awkward." He couldn't help but notice the blush that appeared on her face after saying so. He already knew it was going to be fun making her turn red. Hikaru gave a small laugh before straightening up. He couldn't help but think this was how their first date should've gone, instead of him flirting with anything that walked on two legs. His ears picked up on whispers from passing girls, saying how handsome he was and how they wished that their boyfriends looked like him. Hikaru looked at Ripley out of the corner of his eyes, noticing how she either seemed to ignore what people said or she was oblivious.

"Hey, what's that store over there?!"

"Uh, Hot Topic? I think you'll like-" Ripley couldn't finish her sentence when she gave out a yelp when Hikaru pulled her into the store.

Heavy metal music blasted out of the speakers above, the music matching the video that was on the television screen above the desk. Hikaru's hand was still clutched around Ripley's wrist as he pulled her to the T-shirt section of the store, gazing at all the shirts before him. "How about we get matching T-shirts?" he suggested. "Isn't that what couples do? I think Tara and Kyoya did that once and I kind of liked the idea. Which shirt do you want?" he asked.

Ripley looked between all the shirts. "The Aperture Laboratories one?"

"Isn't that from the Portal games?"

The woman beside him gave a small, impressed smirk. "Very good, Hikaru, you're learning."

"I try!"

After getting their respectable sizes, Ripley a bit hesitant about picking out a XL shirt in front of him, they toured the store a bit more. Hikaru marveled at all the video game merchandise they had, grabbing several items, and finding a spot in the short line at the desk. Hikaru looked over his shoulder at Ripley, who was getting out her wallet. "What are you doing?" he questioned, eyeing the twenty and ten she pulled out. Ripley answered with a hesitant voice, "Um, getting money ready so I can pay for it?"

"No, I'll pay for it!"

"Hikaru, it's fine. Don't waste your money on me. I just got paid."

"I said I'll pay for it!"

"Okay! Here!" Ripley shoved her shirt onto the desk when they approached it.

"I don't want you to pay for anything on this date." Hikaru informed as he took out his credit card, handing it to the clerk.

"Like I said, I just got paid..."

"Ripley..." Hikaru said lowly.

"Fine!"

**...\~/...**

Static came from the walkie talkie when he clicked the button on the side. "Kyoya, the targets are moving to... KYOYA, THAT'S AN ACTUAL CANDY SHOP! I've heard about those, but I've never actually been in one! I should buy souvenirs for grandmother. Kyoya, did you know she likes gummies?! I found that out when she asked for some of my octopus-shaped gummies the other day." A frightened gasp came from his lips. "Why aren't they holding hands?! Hikaru is a gentleman and he must guide his lover from destination to destination! And isn't it against the rules to buy souvenirs on the first day of the trip! Kyoya, act as a deranged vagrant, steal all their belongings, and return them to the proper stores! Over!"

He waited in anticipation for his walkie talkie buddy to answer back.

"Tamaki, why must we spy on Hikaru and Ripley?"

"Kyoya, you didn't say 'over'!"

"That's because I'm standing right next to you, you fool."

Tamaki turned his head to the right, violet eyes landing on an unenthused Kyoya, who had his arms crossed. The light reflected off Kyoya's glasses, only adding effect to the man's dislike for spying on Hikaru and his date. The spectacled man remembered how the energetic blonde hurriedly gathered everyone onto his private jet in Japan, stopping in Boston to pick him and Tara up before heading to Illinois. Now they were creeping behind Hikaru and Ripley, Tamaki commentating on every little thing the new couple did and chastising every little thing Hikaru _didn't _do. And he insisted on having walkie talkies, just to keep the feeling of being spies going.

"This is Hikaru's first date with Ripley as her _boyfriend! _Don't you want to see how it goes?"

"Not entirely."

"Why can't you be like Ripley's roommates and bask in this sacred moment?"

"Because I value his privacy while you bunch don't."

Tamaki looked around to see Ripley's roommates all lingering around a stuffed animal stand, inspecting every toy on the shelf while sneakily stealing glances at Hikaru and Ripley. Then, they would hurry to another stand, and look around it. The rest of the Host Club, Tara, and Reiko stood behind Tamaki and Kyoya, watching Hikaru and Ripley walk into Gamestop.

"It looks like they're doing fine." Kyoya noted. He looked back at Kaoru. "Wouldn't you think so?"

"Yeah..."

"What's wrong? Aren't you glad your brother sorted things out with Miss Barrett?"

"Of course, but I just hope that he doesn't say anything stupid."

Kyoya stared at Kaoru for a moment before looking back at Gamestop. "I have a feeling Hikaru has learned his lesson."

**...\~/...**

"What happened to your hand?" Ripley asked, staring at his casted hand.

Hikaru didn't even cease in his flipping through the rows of video games when he replied, "I broke it."

Ripley's shoulders fell and she gave him an annoyed look, "I figured _that _out, but _how?_" She noticed how his expression seemed to go from content to grave, skin paling to where he looked sickly. Taking his sudden change in demeanor into consideration, she added, "If you don't want to tell me, you don't have to." That's when she felt his good hand rest on top of her head, Hikaru giving her a warm smile. She could see the sadness behind the smile, though, and in turn made her even more concerned. It reminded her of all the times when he would call her in a frantic, sometimes even in tears. All those times, she wished she had the ability to comfort others like MJ or Quin could.

"I got in a fight with my mom and I kind of lost it."

"Have you talked to her at all?"

"...no... I'm kind of nervous to."

Ripley was quiet for a moment, flipping through her row of video games. Hikaru was about to walk to another section of the store when Ripley grabbed the back of his vest, saying, "How about we call her today? I'll be there with you, like I was when you talked to Haruhi."

He remembered when Ripley had suggested that he talk to Haruhi again. It had been Ripley that sat on the other side of the phone, listening to him talk to the woman he once loved. Hikaru imagined himself in the position that Ripley had been in; what if Ripley had told him about a man she was still hung up over? Knowing him, he would've had a fit, telling her that she shouldn't be thinking about anyone but him. He was selfish that way. Here was Ripley, though, and she had been so understanding.

"Maybe at lunch we can call her." he suggested.

Ripley went quiet and turned back to the rack, flipping through a row of games at she already checked.

"Aren't you going to ask me what we fought about?" Hikaru asked.

"I didn't know if you wanted to talk about it..."

"Since we're dating now, I think you have the right to ask me anything you want and I think it's my job in return to give you honest answers." He turned away from, staring down at his hands that were rested on the game rack. "My mom has never really been there for us. She's always been on business trips or too busy at home to spend time with us. She raised us to see only the outside of person, rather than the inside. Those teachings turned us judgmental and even though Kaoru's grown out of it, I still look at someone's appearance and determine whether or not I want to interact with them." His arm went around her shoulders, pulling Ripley in a half-hug. "I have a lot to change, don't I?"

"Mmm, I do to." Ripley muttered.

"What do you mean?"

"I was mad before about what you said to me in New York, but I've been thinking that maybe I need to work on my appearance a little more. I've always cared about how I look, but never did anything to change it when I was disappointed about it. The idealistic part of me imagined a guy sweeping me off my feet without a care in the world about how I looked; however, the realistic side of me told me that would never happen." Ripley quickly moved on when she saw Hikaru open his mouth to say something. "And I'm not talking about changing myself completely! I'm talking about dropping a few pounds, which will be better on my back since I wouldn't be straining so much. Oh, should I get a different hairstyle? I _do _need to get it cut; it's getting a bit long..."

She started rambling, like she always did.

That's when he pressed his lips against her cheek, grinning when she whipped around, bringing her hand up to the place he kissed. "What was that for?!" Her face was beginning to turn red again.

"Mmm, about three seconds."

Hikaru grabbed her hand, but Ripley pulled it away.

"What's wrong?" he asked, noticing the way she hid the hand he grabbed behind her back.

"That's my…bad hand. I know it's probably a little gro-"

The ash-haired man gently grabbed her arm, sliding his hand down it while bringing her arm back to the front. Hikaru's fingers intertwined with hers, "Ripley, from now one, this is the _only _hand I'll hold." God, he sounded like he jumped right out of a romance movie. Everything he was saying to her was so cheesy and cliché, but the wide-eyed look he got from her made every word worth it. And the way she squeezed his hand a little bit harder let him know that he said the right thing. Huh, for once he said something that wasn't offensive or harsh.

"Now, I believe we have lunch and a call to my mother next?"

**…\~/…**

"In the two years I've lived in America, did you know I've never had Taco Bell?"

"Deprived!" Ripley replied, unwrapping her chalupa. "When I come here, I either have Taco Bell or Panda Express. Oh, and I should mention that we're being followed by my roommates and your friends." Ripley took a bite of her taco, ignoring how Hikaru choked on his own food, coughing hysterically. "Wait, what?" he asked, his golden eyes scanning the food court. He…didn't see anyone familiar. "How do you…"

"When we were in Gamestop, I looked out the window and saw Renee dive behind a plant. The others don't know that I saw her, but Renee knew she slipped up because she looked through the leaves of plant and did her creepy smile and wave. And the man sitting behind that newspaper with the two eyeholes is obviously Tamaki." Hikaru started to turn his head to look, but Ripley reached out, saying, "No, don't look! He'll figure out that we noticed him!"

Hikaru straightened, "Seems like you're really getting into this."

Ripley adopted a goofy smile, "I've always wanted to act like a master observer."

"So what do we do now?"

"Act normally. If I went up to my friends right now, Dawn would more than likely scream and cause a scene." Ripley froze before she took a drink. "Or maybe she wouldn't… She once screamed…um…come here…" Hikaru leaned in when Ripley gestured for him to come close, whispering whatever she wanted to say into his ear. "After she yelled that, we all looked around to see if anyone noticed; no one did."

"How very lady-like of her…"

"She's said worse."

That was when Ripley began telling him stories about ridiculous things her roommates have done in Hick's Mall, like when Renee hung back in a store so she could ogle at two Abercrombie models, practically drooling when MJ dragged her over to them for a picture. She told him about their many hours in the arcade, such as the time she finally dominated the claw machine and got a Pikachu plush and when Renee would steal tickets from the games by slowly pulling out their tickets. One thing led to another; Ripley told him about new friends she had made in her photography class and how this guy in one of Erika's classes asked Erika out on a date, which was Saturday. She talked about how she was planning on visiting her mom down in Texas in a few months. Hikaru watched as she gesticulated wildly, moving her hands every time she told him something. Their food was barely eaten- Ripley being too busy talking and Hikaru too content in listening to her to eat.

He had missed this.

He had missed just hearing her voice go on and on.

When Ripley laid her hand on the table, Hikaru snatched it in his, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles soothingly. Nine months ago, he would have never thought he'd be with her like this, holding her hand in his. Hikaru loved this.

If only Tamaki would quit his persistent staring.

"Can't I just go over there and clobber him?" Hikaru asked, looking at the blonde creeper out of the corner of his eye.

Ripley sighed, "Yeah, I think it's time to confront them. Dawn and Renee aren't even trying to hide their laughs anymore."

The couple stood up, walking in separate directions.

**…\~/…**

"Milord…?" Hikaru said through gritted teeth.

The newspaper went flying as a surprised Tamaki cowered in his chair, violet eyes wide. "O-oh, Hikaru, what a pleasant surprise running into you here! I was just in the neighborhood and decided to visit this adorable, little mall, ha ha!" Tamaki gave a sheepish smile, looking around Hikaru to see Ripley approaching her friends, who were all scurrying away to remain hidden. "Are you and your lover on a date?!" Tamaki exclaimed, jumping out of his seat, towering over Hikaru. "That's so-!"

"You can cut the act, boss. We know you've been following us since the start."

The blonde stared at Hikaru before reaching for a walkie talkie attached to his belt, bringing the device up to his face. "Hey, Kyoya, he's found us out. Over." The ash-haired man continued to glare at Tamaki, even when the walkie talkie conveyed Kyoya's casual voice, "_Oh really, and to think your plan was foolproof._"

Tamaki lost all fear and snatched the machine from his belt again, yelling into the walkie talkie, "Kyoya, how am I supposed to know you're done talking when you won't say 'over'?! That is the rule and you shall obey!"

"Milord, he's standing right behind you." Hikaru said, pointing towards Tamaki.

Tamaki turned, gasping when he saw Kyoya. "Mon ami, you were ordered to hide!" He then covered his mouth and whispered to Hikaru, "For a guy who's really smart, he's pretty dumb when it comes to hiding."

"Tamaki, you do know I can hear you?" Kyoya stated.

Before Tamaki could respond, someone shouted for them. "Hikaru, Kyoya, Milord, Reiko's water broke!"

"WHAT?!"

**…\~/…**

**Five Minutes Earlier:**

"Ah, so Milord was discovered, eh?" Kaoru said, unsurprised. "And he was so sure his newspaper disguise was genius." The red-head sighed, shrugging, "Oh well, I knew he was going to mess up sooner or later." He was standing near a smoothie bar with Tara, Hunny, Mori, and Reiko, who were all ordering drinks and ice cream. Kaoru watched as shoppers passed him, and he ignored the women's squeals and the men's comments; he was focused on what had happened with Hikaru. His older twin had never looked so happy before or at least the happiest he had been in awhile. The emotion that had been in Hikaru's eyes matched how they were when they were in high school: lively, full of vigor, and far from looking lifeless. And it was all because of Ripley. She brought that side of Hikaru out again and he was thankful for that. Kaoru had been waiting for a long time for his brother to look that happy…

"Do you think Hika-chan's going to get better now?" Hunny asked, stopping at Kaoru's side, taking a sip of his smoothie.

"Yeah, I think everything's going to be alright." Kaoru replied with a soft smile.

It was quiet in their group when Reiko said in her usual monotone voice, "Mitsukuni, my water broke." Her face lacked emotion or expression as she stood there, her hands clasped over her swollen belly.

"Oh, that's nice." Hunny mumbled, sipping on his smoothie.

That's when it sunk in.

Hunny dropped his drink, the strawberry-banana blend spilling onto the floor. The child-like blonde grabbed onto Reiko's shoulders in a panic, tears of happiness brimming his eyes. "REIKO, WE NEED TO GET YOU TO A HOSPITAL!" Kaoru and Tara, both who had just figured out what was going on, rushed off to get the two groups.

"TAKASHI!"

"On it." Mori swept Reiko off her feet, cradling her in his arms as he rushed towards the exit of the mall, the woman in his arms still emotionless, looking like she wasn't in any pain. Hunny was following Mori in hot pursuit, his face still full of panic. From the automatic doors, he could see the car outside, their American chauffer waiting patiently.

"Hunny-senpai, we'll meet you there!" Tamaki shouted from where he stood, his voice bouncing off the walls of the mall. Hunny waved back as a sign he heard him, but then again, who _couldn't _hear Tamaki?

As Mori helped Reiko into the car and ordered the chauffer to the hospital, Hunny couldn't believe he was so close to seeing his kids as he grabbed his wife's hand. "It's okay, Reiko-chan; it's okay." he cooed softly when Reiko's face twitched briefly out of pain.

"She'll be alright, Mitsukuni." Mori said, twisting around in the passenger's seat. He set a large hand on Hunny's head comfortingly.

"I know…"

**…\~/…**

**At The Hospital:**

Hikaru's leg bounced up and down, nervousness showing blatantly in his expression and actions. His fingers were intertwined as he hunched over, elbows resting on his knees. The constant beeping in the waiting room was beginning to put him on edge and his effort to focus on the TV was a total failure. The fact that there was a crying couple in the corner didn't make him feel any better; Tamaki's worried pacing around the room was rubbing on his nerves, too. Everything was rubbing his nerves raw and he felt like he was about to explode from all the anxiety.

But when Ripley reached out and covered his folded hands with hers, a wave of relaxation washed over him. He found it amazing how her mere touch could put him at ease, a feat that was difficult to accomplish on most days. Hikaru opened his hand just enough for hers to slip between his, holding it between his hands. He squeezed it gently, closing his eyes as he took a deep breath.

"I'm so nervous. What if I screw up my role as a godfather?" he questioned, loud enough for just Ripley to hear. He was glad that he could talk to her in person about these problems instead of discussing them over the phone or Red Hue messages. The woman beside turned slightly so she could run her other hand through his hair, scratching at his scalp soothingly. He leaned into her touch, loving the feeling.

"You'll do just fine. Besides, I'm here to help you now. Remember?"

Hikaru smiled, staring at her hand between his. "Of course I remember."

He remembered the time when Hunny called him to tell him the news, informing Hikaru that he was naming him godfather of Kimiko. Haruhi was the godmother and at the time, he both loved and dreaded the idea of being brought back together with Haruhi by the birth of his godchild. Hikaru remembered hating the idea of sitting in the waiting room alone, though, watching everyone interact with their significant other. Now, he wasn't so bothered since Ripley was sitting next to him, trying her best and succeeding in comforting him.

"Do you remember the first message you ever sent me?" Hikaru asked. He was trying to distract himself from Tamaki's frantic shouts and everyone's shushing. Ripley gave a small laugh, "Yeah, I was so nervous that I was going to say something stupid. It'd been my first time on a dating website."

"And I asked you about snow."

"Telling you that I hated sludge. Still do…"

It seemed like only yesterday when they started talking, when his failed date with Sarah led him to watch television that night, causing him to sit through one of those horrible Red Hue commercials. At that time, finding love was a lost cause, his mind telling him that he was going to die alone. Then he found himself typing away at the computer, writing down that he was a Gemini and that he was looking for the doe, brown eyes, the blunt personality, and the charm of a commoner. Hikaru's golden gaze found Haruhi across the room, then he snuck a glimpse at Ripley. He had found something completely different, even better than what he wanted.

_Dear Hikaru…_

_Dear Ripley…_

When he had called her the first time, her voice was so different from what he had imagined. Sort of a deeper tone than most of the girls at Ouran, who all had lighter voices that reminded him of bells tinkling sometimes. Hikaru loved listening to her get hyped up about something, listening to her voice raise an octave. He liked hearing the slight Southern accent she would have after visiting her mom down in Texas, slowly fading back to its usual dialect.

_"Uh, is this Hikaru Hitachiin?" _

_"N-No, you've got t-the wrong number."_

_"Oh! I'm...uh...I'm sorry!"_

_"I'm j-just kidding. T-This i-is Hikaru H-Hitachiin."_

_"Oh... Please, don't do that to me. I already have an irrational fear of talking to people on the phone..."_

He had been so confused, thinking he was still in love with Haruhi and couldn't love another woman, but he had begun to feel for Ripley, the thought of not talking to her on a daily basis weird and disconcerting. That's when Syd came in and made him think of things he had pushed to the back of his mind, she had brought all those conflicting, awful thoughts to the surface. The fighting, the tears, the realization, the reunion with Deana, the memory of Tamaki and Haruhi's wedding, all of it was too much to handle sometimes.

_"What if this Ripley woman wants to move forward and you're still hung up on Haruhi? What are you going to do then? Break this woman's heart by saying, 'Oh, I'm sorry, I don't really love you. I'm just looking for someone to distract me from my true feelings for a woman who's married and otherwise, untouchable'?"_

_"Hika, what is she talking about?"_

_"You dunce, stupid mean suicidal!"_

_"You were so angry back then. You were hurt because I wasn't the one you wanted and I was a constant reminder of that. You didn't want me at your side; you wanted her at your side. My being there only made it worse. Even when you told me you were ready, I knew you weren't."_

_"But this Ripley woman seems perfect for you."_

_"Do you, Haruhi, take Tamaki to be your lawfully wedded husband till death do you part?"_

_"I do."_

_"And do you, Tamaki, take Haruhi to be your lawfully wedded wife till death do you part?"_

_"I do."_

_"By the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."_

_"Ripley, I need to tell you about the woman I love."_

That's when everything began to snowball. Telling Ripley about Haruhi, talking to the woman he once loved over the phone after two years of completely avoiding her, calling Ripley to find her crying, Salem asking him to rate women, the moment when Ripley told him that she was finally going to be able to visit him. All of it led to the moment when they finally met and the surprise of her appearance. He promised Ripley silently that he would never treat her like that again, that he would be with her and treat her respect until death did them apart. It would kill him to make her cry again or upset her in any way. It was his job now to make her the happiest person in the world, to present her with everything she needed and wanted, to make sure she wanted to wake up to him every morning and not dread his presence or existence for that matter.

_"What have your past girlfriends looked like?"_

_"From one to ten, one being the worst-looking to ten being the best-looking, rate the girls you see pass by."_

_Hikaru,_ _Well, one of the reasons I applied at Kraft is because they pay good money. I get my paycheck every two weeks. Today, I checked my bank account and I now have around a thousand dollars. Yesterday, I signed up for a trip to see New York City's Art Institute campus, just so I can keep my options open in case I transfer. Believe it or not, I have a potential Red Hue soul mate that lives in New York City._ _So, in other words, I'm coming to visit you in about two weeks. September 10th to be more specific. WE'RE FINALLY GOING TO MEET!_ _– Ripley_

_"Go ahead. I'll probably say something stupid and she'll run to you anyway."_

_"It's against your nature to love a woman like Ripley, isn't it?"_

_"I don't like the way you look…"_

Hikaru's thoughts were interrupted when a piece of creased paper came into view. It was worn and almost see-through when he took it hesitantly; afraid it would fall to pieces if he touched it. The writing on it was almost unreadable and he had to squint to make out the scrawl.

"What is this?"

"Just read it."

_My Dearest Love,_

_I have not seen you in person, but judging from your voice, I can only assume you are a beautiful person, inside and out. At this point in time, I can only count the minutes I spend waiting for your messages, and I now have to live in agony waiting for you to call, so I can hear the gorgeous tones of your voice. You bring light into my dark world and you allow me to see the path ahead of me clearly. Please, never stop these wondrous things you do to me. _

_Sincerely Yours,_

_Mister Hikaru Hitachiin_

It was the love letter, his first one, the one he had written to her last Christmas.

She still had it…

Hikaru looked up at her, seeing the warm smile she was giving him.

"What's wrong? You look like you're about to cry…"

"That's because I'm about to…"

Ripley took his head between her hands when the first tear fell, his hands reaching up to cover hers. The past nine months, everything that had happened was replaying over and over in his mind. She had kept the love letter; chock full of things he hadn't even meant, but now it meant something. Reading it sent him over the edge…

"Hikaru," Mori's deep voice said behind him.

Hikaru swiped at his eyes once as he turned to look up at Mori, "Yeah?"

"Mitsukuni wants you to see the baby."

He stood up, seeing Haruhi stand up as well, walking over to where they stood. Hikaru looked at Ripley, who nodded her head and said, "I'll be right here." Before he left, Hikaru kissed her cheek, his lips lingering for a moment, and he followed Mori to the room where Hunny and Reiko awaited.

**…\~/…**

"Hika-chan, Haru-chan, come look at Kimiko!" Hunny exclaimed happily, jumping from Reiko's side to grab Hikaru's hand and guide him to the bed. Reiko's face showed exhaustion and fatigue, but there was a hint of joy in her eyes and a small smile graced her lips as she held two sleeping infants in each of her arms. Hunny softly picked up a bundle of pink and offered her to Hikaru. "Here, you can hold her."

And he did just that.

Inside the pink blankets was an equally pink baby, a fluff of blondish hair set atop her head, her little nose like a button, and tiny hands curled into fists. Hikaru watched as baby Kimiko's eyes fluttered open, presenting two light-colored orbs that began to stare at him. Hikaru cradled the bundle in one of his arms steadily, bringing his other around so he could wiggle his finger at her playfully. To his surprise, Kimiko slowly reached up and wrapped her fingers around it, bringing his hand closer.

"She grabbed it!" Hikaru whispered excitedly, watching with as smile as the baby in his arms gradually began to fall back asleep.

That's when he felt a pair of lips press against his cheek.

Hikaru looked down at Haruhi, who was giving him a kind smile. "What was that for?"

"I don't know. Out of happiness maybe? I'm just glad to see you like the Hikaru I met all those years ago."

A grin stretched across his face as he turned his attention back to baby Kimiko. "Yeah? Well, he's glad to be back."

**…\~/…**

The lake shone before them, the ripples in the water causing waves in the moon's reflection. She had backed her pick-up truck close to the edge of the water, pulling the tailgate down so they could sit in the quiet of the night and enjoy the alone time together. No one was there to disturb them; her roommates returned to the apartment, exhausted from the day's events while the Host Club members stayed at a hotel and Hunny stayed with Reiko at the hospital. So much had happened, but Hikaru had this warm buzz that spread through him, keeping him awake. The cold breeze hit him square on, making his shiver, though he didn't know if it was from the wind or from contentment.

Hikaru noticed Ripley rubbing her arms, looking as cold as he was. He moved back further into the truck's bed so he could swing his legs to either side of her, pushing himself forward to where his front molded with her back. Arms wrapped securely around her, chin rested on her shoulder, and cheek cradled in the crook of her neck, Hikaru thought about how perfect this was, being able to hold her and all. The silence between them wasn't uncomfortable; it was just right. When she leaned back into him, folding her hands over his, he kissed her temple softly, returning his chin to her shoulder.

And he wished this moment would never end.

For this was the first time in a long time that he felt at peace.

* * *

**So, it's been about three weeks, and this is what I come up with? Not exactly how I wanted this chapter to go, but I'll deal with it. The Roomies part at the beginning didn't go as planned because my friends and I were going to RP, but we never got the chance. So if you were expecting something good, I'm sorry! Anyways though, five more chapters until the end of this story. The next chapter will be entirely Ripley's POV and it'll be over the nine months that she and Hikaru spent getting to know each other. I thought it would be interesting to see All Thanks To Red Hue in another light. Also, I HAVE A POLL UP AND RUNNING! Remember when I told you that I was going to write a Kaoru/OC fanfic? Well, I changed my mind! I'm going to let my readers decide because not only do I want to write _that _fanfic, there's two or three others I really want to write as well. So, readers, you'll have three or four choices to choose from, so start choosing! Hopefully the next chapter will come out quicker than this one did...**

**By the way, question to the reviewer that asked why everyone can understand Haruhi if she's speaking Japanese. Well...they're in America and since the 18th volume revealed to us that they can all speak English, I thought it would be appropriate for them to speak English whilst in the presence of Americans. Hope that answered your question! **

**Author's Note- Fin**


	19. Pick Him Up When He Falls

**Step #19:**

**Soothe Him, Be With Him, And Pick Him Up When He Falls**

**...\~/...**

**December 16th, 8:45 P.M.:**

I should've known something was up when my four roommates burst into a fit of laughter as a Red Hue commercial blared on out TV. Their faces were turning away from the continuous laughter, trying their hardest to calm down, but the silence would only make them laugh harder. We'd been watching a rather serious movie, so I knew they weren't giggling about that, so it must've been something about the Red Hue ad. Had to admit, the acting was so fake on those commercials and the script was something to snicker at, especially when they brought lovey-dovey couples who had no shame in displaying acts of sickening sweetness in. But it wasn't funny enough to laugh audibly at, so what the hell was their problem. I watched as a couple came on the screen, sharing a slow kiss, and a man's voice played over, "_I thought I'd never meet a woman that liked to travel as much as I do, but Red Hue found my future fiancé and now we're going to Australia for our honeymoon._" Oh God, I felt my gag reflexes kicking in. To my left, Renee had resorted to a seal-like bark, and MJ, who was to my right, had long since lost all sound in her laugh, shaking silently and trying desperately to control her breathing. Dawn and Erika weren't laughing as hard anymore, so I knew immediately that Renee and MJ must've done something.

"What's so funny?" I asked, my lips twitching into a smirk. It was hard not laughing at their hysteria.

"Should we tell her?" MJ questioned, looking directly at Renee. Hell yes, tell me! I hated being left out of inside jokes...

Renee didn't reply. A hissing noise escaped her as she tried to keep the laughter in, wiping tears away from her eyes with her finger.

Red Hue commercial...friends laughing in reaction...them not telling me something...

I jumped from my seat on the couch, hurrying over to the computer chair. I quickly typed in into the search engine, the website's ridiculous red, pink, and white homepage popping up. Searching my name, my jaw dropped when I read the cursive font Red Hue used to display names. There it was: Ripley Barrett. Spinning around in the chair, "Alright, who did this?!" I yelled, looking directly at Renee.

She threw up her hands, giving a toothy grin, "Why're you looking at me?!"

"Because you'd do something like this! I should've known something was up when you started your talk again! You're always saying 'Ripley, you need a fugly boy toy so you'll feel equal with him' or 'Ripley, you midget, you need to find a boyfriend that's shorter than you so you can finally look down on someone'!" She was the only one that would do something this bold; Renee always did take pleasure in torturing me psychologically. I didn't want this; I didn't want my name on Red Hue. If I wanted to be on there, I would've done it myself.

Needless to say, I was pissed.

"MJ suggested it!" Renee said, pointing at MJ. I whipped my head towards MJ, who turned her head towards Renee, me shouting "You suggested it!" right when she cried out, "Why'd you tell her?!" I watched as MJ turned slowly towards me, sending a sheepish, tight-lipped smile in my direction. My eyes narrowed and she noticed. "Don't look at me like that! I only s_uggested _it! How was I supposed to know that she would actually _go _with my idea?! It could benefit you in the end, you know! What if you got matched up with a-" MJ shrugged with a hurried shake of the head. "-drop dead gorgeous billionaire?! You'd be thanking me later!"

A drop dead gorgeous billionaire? A snowball's chance in hell.

"Pfft," Renee started, her voice full of mockery. "There's no way someone like that someone like _that _would pay attention to Ripley. Let's be real."

I stood up, sauntering into the bedroom I shared with MJ and Renee. It was a bit cramped, but it was ours, so I couldn't complain, especially since it was decorated to match our tastes. On our - our being MJ and I - side, the wall was covered with anime posters and scrolls, some signed by famous voice actors. We had a bookcase, the majority of it being filled with MJ's books while two were dedicated to my manga and magazines, and the one desk was shared by the three of us. My snow globe and bobble-head collection sat on two shelves I installed myself, their little head bobbing up and down when I slammed the door behind me. My hand remained rested on the door, listening to my roommates discuss about what had just happened, something that _shouldn't _have happened. Plopping down in our desk chair, I spun around slowly, my mind whirring a mile a minute.

Dating was something I wasn't ready for. I had a whole list of things I wanted to do before I threw myself into a serious relationship- travel the States, lose weight, earn my degrees in game design and development. My list lacked checkmarks and I wanted to change that before I labeled myself the 'girlfriend' of someone. I wadded up a piece of blank notebook paper, bouncing it off the wall so I could catch it, repeating the action over and over again. This was _terrible_. Okay, so what if there was the slight chance that I was paired up with someone rich or handsome or famous? How could a girl like me, who attended a community college, lived in a country town, and came from a poor background, be compatible with a guy who could possibly be a high-class snob? I was like a big kid, having a love for video games, comic book heroes, and got giddy over the childish of things. I didn't know how to be a girl, or more that I didn't know how to _act _like a girl. I wore jeans and T-shirts, always feeling awkward if someone shoved me into a dress of any kind, and I didn't wear make-up of any kind. Dad always told me that I needed to wear better-looking clothes and at least needed to apply some sort of eye make-up; sorry dad, but I was never taught in the art of how to act like a lady.

With my luck, I'd probably be paired up with a pervert...

When the paper ball bounced out of my reach, I gave up.

I'd punch MJ and Renee if I knew they wouldn't punch back.

**...\~/...**

When everyone was asleep, I tip-toed out to the living room to look up my new and unwanted Red Hue account. Fortunately for me, they hadn't log-offed, so I was able to access my account rather easily. No match-ups, thank God. It was annoying how Red Hue was put together. The website was designed to match _you _up with someone, basing a math-up on a person's interests. The ability to choose who to talk to on your own disabled, allowing any members the leisure of having to find a partner done _for _them, instead of having to scroll through a long list of available singles. Then, whoever Red Hue paired you up with, you had the option to message that person and _only _that person. If, for some reason, you didn't click with the person they chose for you, you would go to that person's account, and click either the 'this person was for me' or the 'this person wasn't for me' boxes. If you chose the 'this person wasn't for me' box, Red Hue would search the list of un-matched singles, and pair you up with another person. Oh, you're wanting to know how I know so much about a website I find utterly stupid? Red Hue is _the thing _at my college. Girls and guys of all ages preached about it like it was some kind of miracle from God. Red Hue, based on statistics on the news, was getting up there with websites like Facebook, Twitter, and Google. Yeah, I found it hard to believe too.

Welp, time to see if my friends know me better than I know myself.

As I read the interests section, I found myself nodding my head in agreement with most of the things the wrote, only adding and erasing a few things here and there.

Then, I got to the 'what are you looking for' section, and my jaw literally dropped.

_I'm looking for some old, bald guy with fat flaps and only three teeth. I want someone who can fart their ABC's and can crush beer cans with his moobs 'cause I think that's sexy right there! ;) By the way, my cup size is in the D-range. Interested?_

Edit, edit, EDIT!

Once I erased and saved my profile page, I gave a sigh of relief, thanking the Heavens that Red Hue _hadn't _matched me up with anyone yet. If someone saw that, they would've thought I was some kind of freak! No offense to those that think traits like that in men are...attractive... Now, what did I look for in a guy? _What _did I looked for _in _a _guy? _Okay, this was harder than I thought. Thinking back to all the 2-D characters I found eye-catching, I guess megane characters were the ones I looked for. I liked guys who had the ability to keep calm, even in the most dangerous of times, and had a sort of laid-back air to them. Glasses and deep voice were definitely sexy... And I also liked characters that had a good sense of humor, were confidant, and seemed to have some kind of possessive nature in them. Wow, lots of requirements...

In the end, I wrote: _I want a guy that can make me laugh, especially during times when I'm down. I want someone that'll sit down and play video games with me. Confident with a bit of a possessive nature. _

Eh, I'll go with it.

I stood up and there was a short knock at the door, signaling that the papers were here.

Damn it, no more sleep for me.

* * *

**December 17th, 10:45 A.M.:**

We threw the last log onto the trailer with a grunt, Dad driving the truck towards a woodpile located behind our client's house. A bitter cold wind whipped around us, hitting us square on in the face. Noses running, fingers growing stiff, and numb in most areas, we ready for this work day to end. The sky was dark with rain clouds, the snow crunching beneath our boots as we walked towards our next tree. The cutting down the tree and chopping it into smaller pieces was the easy part; it was the heaving of the logs onto the trailer that put a strain on my back, a dull ache settling itself in my lower back. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see our client peeking out the window, pushing aside the lacy curtains so she could get a clearer view of our work. How awful of her to watch us from inside her warm and cozy fortress.

"So, you have an account on a dating website?" Joey asked, his deep, rumbling voice bringing back to reality.

"All thanks to MJ and Renee, unfortunately." I replied bitterly.

"You never know; you could end marrying some supermodel millionaire." he answered, picking up the chainsaw that we had laid down earlier.

"Have you and MJ been chatting because she said something along the same lines."

Joey smirked, the chainsaw hitting the side of his leg with each step he took.

"I mean, who would want to date me anyway?" I said quietly, but he heard me.

"A lot of guys would."

That answer pissed me off. "Oh really, then where are all these gents that you speak of, hm?" I sounded harsher than I meant to, but my temper was flared, something that always happened when my insecurities show. "Because if _so many _guys want to date me, then where the hell are they?! Never once has a man come up to me, asking me out on a date or complimented me on how I looked or anything! I beginning to think you guys are lying to me..." Joey stopped abruptly, causing me to almost run into him. My six-foot-somethin' brother towered over me as he gave me a look, his upper lip twitching which was something that always happened when he annoyed. "Ripley, you're quiet and shy, plus you look like you'd punch someone if they approached them. You probably intimidate the guys at your school, but trust me when I tell you you're pretty." His large hand covered the top of my head. "Try smiling once in awhile. I'm sure you'll turn some heads."

My upper lip lifted in disgust. "Smiling is so hard, though..."

Joey ignored me when he pulled the starter cord, the chainsaw revving to life. It didn't take that long to cut down the client's unwanted tree and cutting it into chunks was simple to. When I saw the woman peering through her window again, I was about to say something about it to Mark when front door opened, the woman stepping out to ask if we wanted a break and some hot chocolate. We accepted eagerly and graciously. The five of us hurried into the house, a burst of heat welcoming us from head to toe. Just like I thought, the house's interior had a rustic look to it, accented with country-style pieces. The whole set-up reminded me of my mom's house down in Texas. The woman ushered us into a parlor, serving us mugs of hot chocolate and gooey chocolate chip cookies.

That's when it happened.

My phone buzzed in my pocket and I slipped it out.

It was an e-mail from Red Hue.

_Hello Ripley!_

_Thank you for setting up an account on our wonderful website._

_We are pleased to inform you that we have found the person for you!_

_Click on the following link to see who we paired you up with._

I clicked it.

Up popped a screen with a profile that didn't have a picture on it. I hadn't put a picture on mine either.

"They paired me up with somebody." I muttered. Joey's interest peaked. "His name's Hikaru Hitachiin. Definitely Japanese..."

Hikaru Hitachiin. It felt strange saying his name.

**...\~/...**

I've never been this stressed before when it came to writing something. Sure, I've had my share of writer's block when it came to fanfics that I've written or papers that I'd start on a day before they were due, but this was something totally different! This...Hikaru...guy...had the potential to be my boyfriend! What was I supposed to say anyway? 'Oh, hey Hikaru, nice to meet a person that I really don't want to be paired up with! So, how's life? Mine sucks at the moment! By the way, is there any chance you're a good-looking billionaire? Really? You're not? Aw, that's a shame, and to think my friends and family thought you might be!' I crumpled in my seat at McDonald's. I had come over here by myself for lunch while my brothers and dad went home. Wasn't really hungry, but I settled for a peppermint hot chocolate. For real, though, what was I supposed to say to this guy?

I shoved my phone away in distain.

I'd made up my mind. I wasn't going to answer.

After taking a cautious sip of my hot drink, my phone buzzed excitedly on the table, drawing the attention of a few other customers. It was MJ. "Hello?" I asked when I held the phone to my ear. My voice was hushed. There was something about talking in restaurants that made me feel awkward, adding to the fact I was still a bit peeved that she and Renee partnered up to make a Red Hue account, thus putting me in this life-changing decision on whether or not I should answer this man named Hikaru. She was probably calling to ask me if they matched me up with anyone.

"_Hey, we were wondering- Yes, I'm getting to that! Renee...! Don't...!_" A frustrated sigh came from MJ. "_Renee keeps pinching me, but anyway, did you get put up with someone?_"

See, told you...

"Mmm...yeah..."

"_She got a match! She got a MATCH! What's his name?! Tell us!_"

"As payback, I shouldn't tell you..." Fail on trying to sound threatening because MJ stomped right over that lie. "_If you don't tell us, I'll hide your Fallout games._"

"His name's Hikaru Hitachiin."

"_So, is he Japanese?_"

"I would assume so."

"_Have you messaged him yet? Has _he _messaged _you _yet?_"

"No... I don't know what to write. Do I start formal? Do I start causal? What if he doesn't like me? What if he does and he finds out I have no frickin' clue on what to do in a relationship?" When I stopped talking, I realized there was an unusual amount of quietness on the other end. Pulling my phone away from my ear, I saw that there was no connection. Either MJ hung up or we lost signal. Great, alone again with my thoughts on how to write an idiotic message to this Hikaru guy. I rested my chin on the table, stretching my arms in front of me, phone in hand. I imagined Hikaru on the other end, cool as a cucumber and waiting patiently for me to make the first move. Why can't you take the first step in this relationship, Hikaru!

A sigh escaped me.

**...\~/...**

_Dear Hikaru,_

_Sorry, I didn't exactly know how to start this, so I went formal. I'm still kind of surprised that Red Hue matched me up with someone so quick. I'll tell you what; I've never been so intimidated by that stupid blinking line in my life. Well, except when I have writer's block. I'm actually pretty nervous, writing this and all. I don't really know what to say. Never been good at this kind of stuff...when it comes to guys. _

_From,_

_Ripley B._

A clap of thunder boomed overhead, shaking the whole building. That's when a downpour of rain started.

_P.S. It's thundering here and it's the middle of December. Something's not right about that..._

**...\~/...**

_Red Hue: Message from Hikaru Hitachiin_

_Dear Ripley,_

_Yeah, I'm pretty nervous too. I'm like you, I've never been really good at talking to people. My brother was always the one that did the talking. I would've written something sooner, but I was also intimidated by that blinking line. My mind drew blanks on what to write about. Hey, are you a writer or something? You mentioned something about writer's block. _

_From,_

_Hikaru H._

_P.S. It's snowing here. Do you like snow?_

A this was the beginning of so many Red Hue messages.

* * *

**December 18th, 12:23 P.M.:**

In just three messages, I've discovered that both Hikaru and I have bucket lists (something that's a big deal to me), I'm more of an English and writing person while he's a math and science person, found out he has a twin named Kaoru, and I've already guaranteed him an autographed book. And, thanks to Dawn, will probably never get another message. _...she wants to know if you and your brother have done twincest before... _Why did I have to ask?! I just met him, just started talking to him, and now he'll probably check the 'this person wasn't for me' box. As I sat there at my laptop, I thought over all the years of interacting with the guys I did. My conversations had always been short and if they didn't create the conversation starters, then it would go awkwardly quiet. Maybe getting to know a guy online was the way to go. That way, I wasn't fumbling over words in person and I could talk (type) clearly. Maybe Red Hue wasn't such a bad thing...

_Red Hue: Message from Hikaru Hitachiin_

Here it comes: the 'you're a freak for typing that to me!' message.

_...I cracked up and I mean, I laughed for like...ten minutes when I read your twincest section. In high school, my brother and I were in this club called a Host Club, and we basically entertain the girls by talking with them, serving tea, doing cosplay, and a whole bunch of other stuff. Well, my brother and I put on this act where we pretended to be involved in a forbidden romance. Girls ate it up so bad. So yeah, we kind of have done twincest. Bet you weren't expecting that answer, huh?..._

No way...no freakin' way. He wrote back! He actually wrote back! Wait...why was I getting so giddy over him messaging me back?

_...Are you kidding me? I wasn't even expecting a letter after the twincest thing! I thought that was a little much, especially since we just starting talking to one another... _

Our conversation lasted all night, the time slipping right past me. Our messages to one another led to almost anything, topics from the weather to what we liked to draw to whether we would super strength or super intelligence. I've never talked to a guy like this or for this long. Online talking was so much easier than face-to-face talking. Even if Red Hue's webpage design hurt my eyes, I was beginning to think that maybe pairing people up based on interests was a pretty good idea. Then again, what if our relationship didn't go anywhere past the friendship aspect? What if talking to one another was where our comfort zone was and we never grew out of it?

Ripley, calm down. You just met the guy.

Okay, me, I'm calm...maybe...no, no, I _am _calm.

I was expecting our conversation to continue, but when the knock on the door for the papers happened, my shoulders slouched in disappointment. _...I have to go. The papers were delivered just now and I have to fold them up and deliver them. Paper route... I'll send a message when I get home tonight. I'm going to be busy today... _Was it a good thing that I dreaded logging off just so I could fold those stupid papers? There I was, enjoying myself and actually laughing at some of the things he said, and I had to end that all so selfish people could get their newspapers. Didn't they know I had a potential Red Hue soul mate?!

Maybe I could sneak a message in after I deliver papers...

Nope, that didn't happen. After driving around in the cold for so long, I came home, trudged up the stairs, opened the door, and fell on the couch in exhaustion. I was a goner in less than five minutes.

**...\~/...**

"WAKEY, WAKEY!" a voice screamed.

I jerked out of my sleep, slowly wiping away the drool that leaked out the corner of my mouth. I jumped when I noticed my four roommates looming over me, all with their arms crossed and smirks on their faces. I groaned, checking my phone, seeing that it was eight thirty-nine. "Guys, come on. Let me sleep..." I muttered, turning away from them. Those devils... They waited until I was dozing off until they screamed again, shaking me awake. I looked over my shoulder at them, glaring, and I was glaring straight at MJ because she was the one shouting that infuriating 'wakey wakey'. Seriously, couldn't they let me sleep in? That's when I heard my phone buzz, the sound immediately waking me up, sending me in a sitting position. Answering it without looking at the caller ID, I frowned and said, "Oh, it's you."

"_Thanks, sissy, you sound so happy to hear from me._"

"I thought...you were someone else..."

"_Dad was wondering when you were coming in to work. Well?_"

"Oh yeah, work, gotcha. I'll be in there soon. Just give me an hour."

"_Fine. I'll tell dad. Talk to you later._"

"Yeah, bye." Mark always seemed to put me on edge.

I began to get up when Renee pushed me back down, returning her arms in a crossed position. "You're not leaving until you tell us about your Red Hue friend." she said. A sort of growl left me, "Do I have to?" I asked. They all nodded. So, I told them. I talked about Hikaru liking chemistry, how he surprised the same person over and over again with a hand buzzer, about how he had a bucket list too and that we even had something on it that was the same; talked about how he came up with the 'five questions' strategy to bring more things to talk about during our night-long conversation, how we both like roller coasters, and so on and so forth.

"And," I said with a grin, staring directly at Dawn. "He has a twin named Kaoru."

My red-faced friend gasped excitedly, "Have they ever done twincest before?! Have they ever-"

I held up a hand to silence her. "That's all I'm going to give away, ladies. My Red Hue friend will remain a secret now until later." I stood up, Renee granting me the ability to do so. "So, if you excuse me, I have to get ready. I have a grueling day's work ahead of me." I shifted around Renee, walking into the bathroom, locking the door behind me. Maybe I could send a quick message to Hikaru, telling him to have a nice day or something. No...no, that would make it seem like I was too eager to start talking again. Wait, did guys like eagerness in women, or did they like space between times when they talked? What if I _did _put a lot of space between our last conversation and our next? What if he thought I was ignoring him or something? GAH! Why was this so hard?! I thought talking to men was supposed to be a good experience, but all this is doing is putting a lot of pressure on me! I'll just ask Joey or Quin (Mark would just be an asshole about it) and get their input on things.

Hopefully they won't be assholes about it either.

**...\~/...**

They were assholes. Well, Joey was sort of being an ass...

"Why do you even want to talk to this guy? He could be some prick for all we know." Joey said, picking up a log piece, carrying it in his arms towards the trailer. I picked up my own, scurrying towards him so I could reply to him. "Judging by the conversation we had last night, I can safely assume this guy is _not _a prick. Seriously though, do guys like eagerness or girls that are laid-back? I know that text-bombing someone can get annoying, so I'm not going to do that, but when should I talk to him next? Should I-"

Joey turned towards me when he threw his log on the trailer. "You're making this whole process too complicated. You need to stop questioning and just talk to him when _you _want to talk to him. Look, I don't even want you dating this guy..."

"Then what was up with all those tips to getting a guy's attention? How about all those guys that would want to date me? Aha, I knew you were lying to me?! Besides, when do you expect me to date anyway?"

"...never..."

"Joey, that's stupid. I'm twenty-two, so I'm going to have to think about dating someone someday."

Joey sighed, "I never thought the day would come when my little sister would ask about dating guys. I feel like I'm giving 'the talk'."

"Well...?"

His directed his dark brown eyes at me. "Ripley, just be yourself. It seemed to work last night based on what you told me, so continuing doing so. And don't..._think, _okay? You're putting too much thought into something so simple."

"But-"

"No buts, just talk to him at break."

"Fine. Whatever." I muttered, throwing another log onto the trailer. "I'll just...be my boring self!"

**...\~/...**

_Dear Hikaru,_

_I managed to sneak in a message while no one was looking. How's your day so far, Mr. Hitachiin?_

_From,_

_Ripley B._

_P.S. Is it still snowing there?_

**...\~/...**

_Dear Ripley,_

_What exactly are you doing? And how was your paper route? Also, my day's been pretty crappy so far. You?_

_From,_

_Hikaru H._

_P.S. No, it's not snowing anymore. I have a feeling my friends are going back to Massachusetts today. Sadness..._

**...\~/...**

It felt good when Hikaru ranted to me about his failed previous date, the brute that beat him up, and how the guy that beat him was an ex-convict, who had just got out for murdering someone. So, I guess hearing all this also put me on edge because I couldn't really do anything to help. I already dreaded the thousands of miles between us. But he trusted me enough to tell me all this, right? Or was I reading too much into these messages. Hikaru outright told me that he had insulted her, something that most people would skip over just so they would look good, but he had been willing to suffer any judgment on my part. And what was up with this girl that he had taken out on a date? At least he tried to apologize for what he said, although Hikaru never told me what he said to piss her off so much.

I was about to type back when my phone was snatched from my hands. Looking up, I saw Mark standing there, looking over my messages. I jumped up, trying to get it back, but that dumbass would just pull it out of reach. "I hope you're not saying anything _naughty _to your new _boyfriend!_" he teased, snickering at what he said. I felt my face heat up at his comment. "I just met him! Why would I do something like that?!"

His reply made me blush even more. "Well, I've done some dirty things over the phone _plenty_ of times with girls I'd just met! Why would it be any different with him?"

"Uh, because he's not a pig like you!" I shouted, successfully grabbing my phone out of his hands. "He's a gentleman." I guess I wasn't going to be able to write back for awhile. Why'd Mark have to find out about Hikaru? Now all he was going to do was torment me about it. Before I could message Hikaru about having to go, my dad shouted at me to get back to work. "Hold on! I...just..." I trailed off, about to press 'send' on my good-bye message when Mark grabbed my phone out of my hands. "Mark, give that back!"

"God, such a whiney-ass. You heard dad, slacker, get back to work."

"I just want to-"

"You can't always get what you want, sissy. Chop, chop; back to work!"

"You're an unsufferable ass..."

"Charmed, you twit."

* * *

**December 19th, 10:19 A.M.:**

We were all gathered about Dawn, who had fainted and crumpled to the floor in a spazzing mess. Reason for the fainting? I told her that Hikaru and his twin brother had gone all the way. There were times when she would utter the words 'twins' and 'sexy, but other than that, she was out cold. Erika poked Dawn continuously in the forehead, saying the word 'poke' over and over again until our fainted friend's eyes fluttered open, looking directly at me. "Seme or uke?"

"Excuse me?"

"Is he the seme or uke in the relationship?"

"Oh...uh...I'll ask him later and give you a report, okay?"

"Okay..."

I hustled into our bedroom after I helped walk Dawn over to the couch, where she plopped down after her knees buckled. Ah, the effect of finding out there were twins out there that had actually indulged in sexual activity. Must've really been a surprise to her...well, she did faint after all. I climbed onto one of the beds, laying on my stomach as I typed away on my phone, compiling a worry-filled message that consisted of me rooting for Tara (whom I was beginning to like) and asking lots and lots of questions. And rambling... Shit, I ramble even in my writing...

_...I like your rambling..._

He wrote that! Hikaru wrote that! Usually my rambling got on people's nerves, but he said he liked it! If Hikaru could make me feel this giddy after only knowing him for three days, I'd hate to see how he'd make me feel in the many months to come. Of course, only if we talk for that long... I hoped we would talk for a long time. _...my face is feeling fine. I'm staying with Tara's dad for right now so things can settle down... _Relief washed over me when I read that. I was very glad he was going alright. _...I miss sleeping in the same bed as my brother and I miss my butler singing 'Irish Lullaby' to us every night. I'm probably going to watch the Christmas Day Parade and then do nothing. What I want? I want Kaoru to come visit me. I miss him a lot. I wish he'd just come live with me. And I guess I'm scared about losing my friends and family... _

"Awww...he's so cute..." I gasped, covering my mouth with my hand. "I did not just say that." Oh yes, yes you did, Ripley. Damn...

My question to him was if he'd ever written a love letter.

_...I've never written a love letter, but I want to. Mind if I send one to you?..._

I was sad to see him go.

"Hey, Dawn, he said he was seme!"

Was that Dawn gurgling I heard in the distance?

**...\~/...**

"Ripley, you just spent all your money on a guy you met three days ago." MJ stated, trying to keep up with my quick pace.

"I don't care. I think Hikaru's spending Christmas alone and I thought he might want a pick-me-up, so I'm sending him a care package."

"Then why couldn't you get the games at Gamestop or something?"

I stopped, MJ almost running into me. "...I didn't think about that." A shrug followed after. "Whatever. What's done is done."

"You can always return them."

"Too much of a hassle. Oh, you and Dawn can be in charge of the manga and art supplies, okay? I'd really appreciate it."

"Alright, and to think the games weren't enough..."

"Nope!"

* * *

**December 25th, 7:23 A.M.:**

For some reason, the holidays always got me down. Probably because my mind always thinks back to the years where my family couldn't afford a Christmas and we'd treat the holiday like any other day. Twenty-two years old and the magic is sort of...gone. It was getting to the point I liked giving presents instead of receiving, a trait you saw when I got all those gifts for Hikaru. Speaking of which, I hope he got my care package and I hope it made him smile, especially since it's Christmas. Hey, just because I didn't necessarily like the holiday didn't mean I couldn't hope everyone else had a good one. Like my roommates, they've been excited about this day since the end of Thanksgiving. As a matter of fact, they've been excited about December altogether. We had many traditions; baking sugar cookies and decorating them (MJ said we _had _to do this), ice-skating once every week (we've all gotten pretty good), watching White Christmas with Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye (another tradition MJ brought into this household, but for some reason she refuses to think I like it, which I really do), painting ornaments (this is something _I _did as a kid and thought we'd give it a try. Well, everyone enjoyed doing it, so we now do it every year), and many, many more traditions.

I really hope Hikaru got my gift...

The door to our bedroom creaked open and I heard Dawn ask, "Ripley, are you awake?"

"Yes..." I said in a low voice. I knew what came next.

"Guys, she's up! Ripley, come open your presents!"

I groaned, rubbing my face with my hands, slowly sitting out. I climbed out of bed, shuffling into the living room. Our Christmas tree was lit up with multi-colored lights, wrapped with garland and popcorn, our hand-painted ornaments dotting the tree, and festively wrapped presents sat under it, just begging to be opened. We took turns opening ours, even though Renee would always begin to unwrap hers while everyone else was ripping the paper off theirs. Seeing their reactions when they opened one of mine was enough for me, which may seem kind of stupid, but that's how I felt. I ended up getting three presents, one of them being Assassin's Creed III, which had been around sixty dollars, so they'd all pitched in some money to get it. I also got an Aperture Laboratories lanyard and an Avengers poster that I had my eyes on for awhile at Wal-Mart. Pretty good crop of gifts, I must say.

"We should start getting ready." MJ said, standing up.

"Why? We don't have to meet everyone until noon and it's..." I looked up at the clock. "...almost eight o'clock."

Every year, ever since MJ and I graduated, we would have a big get-together with all of our families. Usually, we would have it at a restaurant or something, but since it was so warm outside, we were meeting at a my dad's house, deciding to have a cook-out. It's December; it should _not _be this warm outside.

"Oh right," I started, giving a sly grin. "You _do _have to start getting ready now. Ya know, since it takes you like five hours..."

"Now it doesn't!" MJ shouted before she closed the bathroom door.

It was quiet and we could hear the shower starting from inside the bathroom. That's when Dawn said, "She didn't even ask if anyone needed to take a dump."

Face palm...

**...\~/...**

It was when we were at the get-together when I got this message:

_Ripley, _

_Call me. 917-867-5309._

_Hikaru_

_P.S. I need someone to talk to._

Oh God, he wanted me to call him! And I have a fear of talking to people over the phone! Oh God, oh God, oh GOD! What if I say something incredibly stupid or insensitive? What if I sound too pessimistic or maybe too optimistic? I had no idea what kind of girls Hikaru liked, so... That's when Joey's voice echoed through my mind, him telling me to be myself and all. I hurried into the bathroom after excusing myself from the company, shutting the door and hearing the soft click. I sighed, sinking to the floor. But what if my normal self wasn't good enough? Another sigh... For some reason, I really wanted to impress this guy, probably because he's the first person of the opposite gender (outside my family) that I've talked to longer than two minutes. Hikaru was a special case because of that.

I looked forward, arching one eyebrow, and said in a low and seductive (at least...I think it was seductive...) voice, "Hello, Hikaru, it's me, Ripley." Nope, only use that voice if I wanted to scare him off. Uh... I faked a smile, saying in a cheerful voice this time, "Hey, Hikaru, what's up?" Maybe I should say _that, _but without the up-beat, gag worthy voice.

I inhaled and exhaled slowly. It'd been twenty minutes since he sent the message and here I was, fretting over what voice to use when I greeted him.

Ripley, you're _such _a _wuss_.

Fine, just to prove that I'm not a wuss, I'll call him right now! Ha! See?! I'm not a-

Oh shit, I _just _called him...

Ringing...

Ringing...

"_H-Hello?_" His voice...he answered...

"Uh, is this Hikaru Hitachiin?"

"_N-No, you've got t-the wrong number._" For real?! No way! But I-

"Oh! I'm...uh...I'm sorry!"

"_I'm j-just kidding. T-This i-is Hikaru H-Hitachiin._" Ahaha, oh Hikaru, you jokester, you... Almost giving me a heart attack...

"Oh... Please, don't do that to me. I already have an irrational fear of talking to people on the phone..."

I liked the sound of his voice, even if it wasn't the deep voice I always dreamed of. Smooth and it sent a shiver down my spine, in the good way of course. He had a stutter, though. Never told me about a stutter...

"Just to make sure you're not some creeper leading me on: what are my three older brothers' names?"

"_M-Mark, Quin, a-and Joey. Clever t-trick._"

"Thanks." A loud banging on the other side of the door made me nearly jump out of my skin. "Hey, sissy, come on out! We have family here and you need to talk to them!" It went quiet and Mark added cheekily, "Ohhh, are you talking to your _boyfriend? _And talking to him in the bathroom and in private no less. You're not doing something..._sexual _in there, are you?" My face went hot, the warmth spreading all the way to my ears. "Go away, Mark!" I yelled, banging on the door. I hope Hikaru didn't hear that... When I heard him walk away, I whispered, "God...dumbass..."

I heard Hikaru give a weak chuckle. "_W-What are y-you doing r-right now?_"

"We're at that get-together I was telling you about. Are you outside or something? You sound cold."

"_I a-am cold. I'm s-stuck outside w-with n-no coat on._"

"Well, get inside! I don't want you dying from frostbite, especially when you're on the phone with me! Do you know how traumatized that would leave me?" New York was way up there in the north, so I couldn't help but believe it was freezing where he was. More importantly, what was he doing outside in the cold without a coat?! Get inside, get inside!

"_Um...a l-lot?_"

"Uh...yeah? I'd have to go back to therapy!"

"_Y-You've been t-to t-therapy?_"

"Junior year of high school. Don't worry; I'm not...wait, maybe I am crazy..." I trailed of when I said that. There _could_ be a possibility that I'm crazy...

"_G-Great. My p-possible soul mate is a l-loon._" he said with a laugh.

"Sucks, doesn't it?"

Mark started pounding on the door again, "Sissy, get out of the bathroom!"

"No! Go away!" He did after banging his fist on the door a couple more times just to irritate me.

"_You're in the bathroom?_" Crap, if he heard that, was he able to hear the sexual remark Mark said earlier? It would truly be the end of my life if he did..

"It's the only quiet place in the house right now. Can you believe it's almost eighty degrees over here?"

"_I can believe it. What'd you call it? The Bi-Polar Weather State?_"

"Hey! You remembered! It's December! I wanted snow today and then I wanted it all to disappear by tomorrow." Did I really just sound that cheerful? Nuh uh.

"_Not a big fan of snow?_"

"Ever since I got my driver's license, no. And the sludge afterwards depresses the hell out of me." I feel like we've had this conversation before.

I was laying on the floor, my feet planted against the bathroom door to keep it closed. I noticed he wasn't stuttering anymore. Hopefully he had found somewhere warm and huddled in there to heat up. Out of nowhere, I started humming Foster the People's 'Waste', a song about one person staying beside their significant other, helping them get over their past and standing with them no matter what obstacles they faced. Out of every love song I've ever listened to, that was the one that I thought was the most romantic in its own weird way. It was quiet between us, but it wasn't awkward, thankfully.

"_What are you humming?_"

"Oh...uh...it's called Waste by Foster the People. Ever heard of them?"

"_Can't believe I have._"

"You are so deprived, child."

"_Have you ever had instant coffee?_"

"Yes."

"_Damn it, can't call you deprived then._"

"Ha! Face it! I'm the more experienced out of the two of us."

"_Mmm, not yet. I'll find something you haven't tried or heard of. Just you wait._"

"Have to tell you; I'm not one for patience, so find something quickly."

A fuckin' third time. Mark came up to the door to pound his fist against the door, yelling at me to get out. Seriously, why couldn't he stop? This was why Mark and I would always fight; he never knew when to stop. No, he'd push and push and push until I couldn't take it anymore, and blow a gasket. Since my attitude had grown darker and darker since my third year of middle school, my temper was something that easily went off. The two of us have had fistfights before, Joey coming in to break it up when I broke Mark's nose and he displaced my shoulder. There were times when I _hated _being around Mark and I sometimes dreaded the thought of being with him. Now, don't get me wrong; there were times when we've actually been civil with one another and enjoyed one another's company and in the long run I guessed I loved him, but for the most part I despised him (of course, I despise him lovingly).

"_Are you scamming me?_"

Well, that took me by surprise.

"What? Scamming you...?"

Silence on his part.

"Why do you think I'm scamming you? Did I say something wrong?"

"_You didn't say anything wrong. A friend of mine did. She said for me to be careful._"

After careful consideration, I said, "Well, she's smart. There are a lot of desperate people out there. My dad's girlfriend being one of them..." I didn't try to hide the bitterness in my voice when I mentioned my dad's girlfriend.

"_You think she's smart for doubting you?_"

"Well...yeah. Scammers are all over the Internet. I make my own money; I don't need anybody else's."

I hope I didn't give Hikaru any reason to not trust me.

"_Here's another question: do you think I'm stupid for being mad at someone when they haven't done anything wrong?_"

"Mmm, what are you mad at them about?"

" _A girl a friend of mine liked fell for the guy I'm mad at rather than my friend. I'm really close to the guy so I feel angry right along with him._"

"...uh...well, it wasn't the guy's fault that the girl fell for him, right? Not unless he did some weird brainwashing scheme; if he did do that, then I guess it's his fault, but I'm assuming he didn't, so it isn't his fault." Jesus Christ, I sucked at this.

"_I can tell you're not good at answering deep questions._" WHY?! WHY DID YOU HAVE TO NOTICE?!

"Unless it's between two of my characters in a story, then no, I'm not. This is more of MJ's department. She's the one going into psychology and all. Maybe you should ring her up and talk to her."

"_I have a feeling she would interrogate me on whether or not I'd make a good soulmate for you rather than answer my thought-provoking questions._"

Yeah, that sounds about right.

"Ah, you're probably right."

"_I have another call. I'll be right back._"

"'kay."

A couple minutes later, Hikaru's spine-shivering voice entered my ear again.

"_Hey, Rip, I have to go. Everyone's waiting for me._"

_No... No, don't go..._

"Okay. I have to go, too. I had to pull the door close because Mark was trying to open it and drag me out."

He chuckled, "_Alright. Kick him in the shin for me, will ya?_"

"Ha! I'll do worse than that! Oh, and Hikaru," Maybe I was wrong in assuming, but when he asked me his friend question earlier, I heard how his voice sounded...oh, what's the word? Tortured? Conflicted? "Whatever's going on, I hope you can get over it quickly, okay?"

"_...yeah...okay..._" It sounded like he didn't want to end this call either.

"Alright, well, I'll try and message you tonight. Or call, since I have your number now."

"_Alright...see ya..._" Aw, Hikaru, don't sound like that! You're making me feel guilty!

"Yep!" Click.

...

...

...

ARRRRRRGHHHHHH! WHY'D I SOUND SO ENTHUSIASTIC WHEN I HUNG UP?!

* * *

**December 28th, 3:30 P.M.:**

It wasn't three days later when there was a knock on our door. Everyone had gone out grocery shopping while I stayed home and rested after another day outside. Opening the door, a mailman was revealed with a huge box in his arms. He set it down carefully, "Are you Ripley Barrett?" he asked. Nodding my head, he held out a touch-screen device and stylus. "Can you sign here, please?" Signing it, he picked up the box, carrying it into the apartment, setting it down on the floor. "Can you wait a moment? There was something else for you. I'll be right back."

I closed the door behind him, hurrying over to my package. Taking out my car keys (on my _new _Aperture Laboratories lanyard), I sliced the packing tape in half, peeling the box flaps apart. Before I could get a look at the contents, another knock at the door made me jump up and run over to answer the door. There was mailman, this time holding a beautiful bouquet of flowers. I took them gently, gawking. The bouquet was a gorgeous blend of orange roses, light purple cremones, and matching carnations and mums, all held together in a dark purple, curvy vase. They smelled amazing and there was no way I could've hid my huge smile.

"Have a nice day, ma'am!" the mailman said.

"Uh...you too!" I called out, shutting the door.

After I set the bouquet on the kitchen table, I picked out a small envelope that was nestled amongst the blossoms. On the front, written in cursive was _My First Love Letter. _

_My Dearest Love,_

_I have not seen you in person, but judging from your voice, I can only assume you are a beautiful person, inside and out. At this point in time, I can only count the minutes I spend waiting for your messages, and I now have to live in agony waiting for you to call, so I can hear the gorgeous tones of your voice. You bring light into my dark world and you allow me to see the path ahead of me clearly. Please, never stop these wondrous things you do to me. _

_Sincerely Yours,_

_Mister Hikaru Hitachiin_

I called Hikaru immediately.

"_Hey, what's-_" he greeted, but I cut him off.

"Thank you so much for the letter!"

"_You got the letter! That's awesome, but it was my pleas-_"

"No one's ever done this for me before..." It kind of slipped out. At this point in time, I really didn't care if my voice was shaky or if I sounded absolutely pathetic, but I've never felt this special before. All my life, I've been over-looked, no matter how much I tried to get people to notice, but this time I felt important. I felt like someone was looking at me finally.

"_Heh, really? I'm..._" What he said next made me blush. "_...kind of glad I was your first love letter._"

Maybe we really would get past the friendship stage...

* * *

**Janurary 18th, 4:48 P.M.:**

A whole month has gone by since I met Hikaru over Red Hue.

It had gotten to the point where I called him every day, talking to him for hours on end, sneaking messages to him when I could. The best part was that he never seemed bothered by the fact I called him so much. The excitement of talking to a man for so long never subsided. In fact, each day that I talked to him only fueled the excitement, a feat that I thought would never be acheived was actually being done. Hikaru always did and said things that would make me feel like the most important and beautiful person in the world, like sending me flowers every two weeks or telling me to careful when I went to work. He had become such a worry-wart when it came to my job, especially after the incident where a saw sliced right through the first knuckle on three of my fingers. I'm not even going to go into detail about Hikaru's hysterical rant when I accidentally sent him the pictures, which were actually meant for my mom. Was it bad for me to think that a panicked Hikaru was pretty adorable?

I'd gotten used to calling him 'Hika' and he'd gotten fond of referring to me as his 'little night owl'. Yeah, yeah, yeah; get it out of your system now. Blek, how sickeningly sweet of them to have _pet names _for one another. Trust me, I used to think so too, but then I got used to it. Thank the Lord he doesn't call me 'baby' or 'babe'. I probably would've puked if he did...because 'baby' is what my dad and his girlfriend call each other. Shit, I just puked in my mouth... Anyway, one of the things I like most about Hikaru is his voice. It was always so smooth and gave me goosebumps most of the time. The way he says my name, the way he laughs, or just about anything he says gives me shivers.

I was trying to keep these feelings to myself as I played with my brothers over the Xbox.

And I just so added Hikaru to my friend's list...

Invited him to our party and game.

And that's when things went downhill.

So, we're playing Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, right? And my brothers are obsessed with it and skilled players, right? Well, I'll be honest with you, Hikaru's kind of...decent when it comes to the game. ...okay, he might be a little skaky, but that's okay! There's always room for improvement! I mean, I'm not that good at Call of Duty either, so Hikaru and I will forever suck at this game _together. _On with the story though; my brothers kicked me out of the game and forced Hikaru to fend for himself against them.

"C'mon, Hikaru, they're all assholes! Nothing but insignificant, heartless cowards! C'mon, win for me!" I don't know if my words got to him, but I noticed this short-lived spike in his point intake. The stress of having three players against one must've gotten to him, however, because Hikaru's point meter hadn't increased until the time limit ended. I could only imagine the disappointment Hikaru must be feeling.

But every cloud has a silver lining.

**xXxHell's~Personal~HarpyxXx has joined your party.**

**. ::Shadow::King.::. has joined your party.**

And that's when shit went down!

My brothers allowed me back into the game and it was now between me, Hikaru, Tara, and Kyoya and my brothers. A fair game, I must say. And we were kicking ass.

But that's when it happened.

I heard a door slam through someone's connection and Hikaru started talking to someone outside the party.

"_So, are you going to tell her about the other woman?_"

My hands gripped my game controller tightly, my knuckles turning white. What other woman? Did that mean...? No, Hikaru would never do something like that. After all the times we've talked to one another and the flowers he sent me, they all had to mean something, right? He was always so nice to me and made me feel amazing, even if we've only known each other for a month. A tried to swallow the lump that formed in the base of my throat, but failed. After hearing those words, it was like a large amount of weight was dropped on my shoulders, skin prickling like thousands of needles were being shoved into my skin, and it stung. I shook my head violently. No, there was no other woman.

There couldn't be...

"_Other woman? What other fuckin' woman? Shit, I knew he was a rotten bastard!" _Quin's voice yelled through the speakers. I already knew I was going to get an earfull about this later.

"Hika, what is she talking about?" I asked, my voice betraying me. I wanted to sound casual, but ended up sounding so small and...hurt.

I didn't get an answer. All I got was a notification that Hikaru had left the party.

That only made me think that there really _was _something he was hiding.

**...\~/...**

Hikaru seemed to have a lot of turmoil in his life. There had been numerous occasions when he talked about how lonely he was in his apartment by himself and how it always made him happy when he had some kind of company over. He'd told me about the women he once dated, but always ended in messy break-ups, saying he was never the cause of them. He had had failed dates with all kinds of women, but all of them a failure. To be honest, whenever he talked about girls he had dated, I would get this burning sensation in the pit of my stomach that could only be one thing: jealousy. Even though he'd done and said things that made me feel like I was the only one for him, I knew that I hadn't been the only woman in his life. Nope, he had many more before I came along. He had had other women that he sent flowers to and been charming to and showed his vulnerable side to. Thinking all these thoughts made me sigh, running over a curled petal that belonged to a dying flower from the last bouquet Hikaru had sent me.

_So, are you going to tell her about the other woman?_

Those words echoed throughout my head, bouncing off wherever they could. I kept on asking myself one question: Why would Hikaru keep me around if he had another woman in his life? I'd like to think I had made some kind of impact on him and he wanted to keep me around, but what if I had grown boring to him a while back and he was just waiting for the perfect time to tell me the news?

I really liked Hikaru...

I picked up my phone, scrolling through my favorites until I reached Hikaru's name. Ringing filled my ear as I waited for him to pick up. Half of me wanted him to answer while the other half wanted him to ignore it. When Hikaru's voice entered my ear, however, I was taken aback by how eager he sounded. "_Hello?_" It was like he was excited to hear from me, even if we've talked almost every day.

"Hey..." I answered back, cursing myself for sounding so pitiful. "I just called to say good night. I'm going to be-"

"_Ripley, I need to explain about earlier. I had no idea that Syd was-_"

"Hikaru, are you really ready to tell me?"

"_No...I'm not..._"

"Then don't rush yourself. Just tell me when you're ready, okay?"

"_Thank you, Ripley...thank you so much... Are you...alright?_"

"Yeah, I'm fine!"

No, I wasn't fine.

"Well, I have to go to bed. We had a bunch of calls come in today and weren't able to finish, so-"

"_Wait!_" he cried out. "_Can you...I want...will you please...no, no you need your sleep._"

"Hika, what is it?"

"Can you... Can you talk to me for awhile? I like the sound of your voice." I heard him gasp, like it was something he wanted to keep to himself, but slipped out. My face was heating up, a feat Hikaru always managed to pull off. "_I mean I-I...well, I...I meant, um-_"

"Yeah, I can talk to you for awhile."

I was the kind of person that always listened, never really engaging in conversation. Hikaru, on the other hand, brought the talkative side of me out, and he was always the one that kept quiet and listened. It felt good to just sit there and talk for hours on end about anything. Our conversation topics were never related, always random, and I liked it that way. But tonight, he barely said a word. There could've been the possibility he just wanted to be reassured that I wasn't peeved at him, which I wasn't.

Just...I wished he would tell me what was going on.

"I guess I just want you to know that I'm here for you."

"_Ripley..._"

"I mean, you seem to have a lot going on in your life right now. I just...I'm here for you if you need anything." I wanted nothing more than for him to be comfortable in this relationship. "Hika, I have to turn in, okay?"

"_Yeah... I'll talk to you tomorrow some time._"

"Alright. Good night." Click

And I wanted him to be happy...

* * *

**February 14th, 2:14 P.M.:**

_Eggs_

_Milk_

_Coffee and coffee creamer_

_Bagels_

_Cereal - Raisin Bran, Cheerios, and Lucky Charms_

_Candy for my BOYFRIEND - SOMETHING YOU DON'T HAVE! :D _

I growled when I read that, wadding the list in a ball, and throwing it down. Right now, I didn't give a damn if I was littering or not, even if the woman behind me told me it was wrong to do so. Shut up, woman, you don't know the mental and emotional torture I'm being put through right now! A shaky sigh left me as I pushed my cart down the aisle, weaving through the other shoppers. _All of them were interacting with their significant others! _WHY?! WHY DO THEY HAVE TO DO THIS TO ME?! Practically quivering in anger right now, I whipped around the corner, my cart slamming right into someone else's. We both let out yelps of surprise and I looked over to apologize, but when I saw who it was, I wish I hadn't.

"Ripley! Oh my God, long time no see!" the woman exclaimed, running around her cart so she could pull me into hug. I hugged back, albeit a little awkwardly, since I wasn't exactly the kind of person that passed out hugs to any random stranger. The woman pulled back, pushing her light blonde hair out her face, a huge smile on her face. Oh, let me introduce you to Katie Bomber, one out of the handful of people that graduated from my high school in the top ten percent. After graduation, I had walked past her, and this is what I heard her say, "Oh, I knew I was going to be in the top ten percent since freshman year, so it was no surprise when they announced my name." And she had said this with her little laugh and a wave of her hand, like it was no big deal at all. So, you can conclude that she was a difficult person to be around. Now that I was facing her once again, I wanted nothing more than to disappear.

"We haven't talk in like forever! I'm too busy with my classes and job to get on Facebook anymore, so I haven't talked to anyone from my high school in a _long _time."

And I wouldn't have felt bad if I were one of the people you never talked to _again. _"That's a shame. I'm pretty busy too. Three jobs and all..."

"Oh really? How are your classes going or are you even going to college? I remember how you always complained about school, so I assumed you wouldn't go to college. But kudos to you if you are!"

Calm yourself, Ripley. NO! BAD RIPLEY! PUT THAT FIST DOWN! Now smile...yes, there you- no, that's a grimace...good enough, I guess...

"I'm going to Barkman and trying to get my degrees in game design and development. Paying my way through college, ya know."

"Oh, my parents are paying for my tuition." Fan-fuckin'-tastic for you! Before I could respond, Katie held out her hand, and I was almost blinded. On her ring finger was the hugest diamond I've ever seen. It was colossal, gigantic, huge! "My boyfriend proposed to me today! Can you believe it?" Unfortunately, I can; really don't want to. "Are you married yet?" Katie asked in a curious voice.

"No..."

"Aw," Katie said, her bottom lip sticking out in an effort to display a sad face. "You'll find someone!"

"I already have someone..." I grumbled.

"What was that?"

"I, uh, am really glad you found someone! Congrats!"

"Thanks!" She gave me another hug, "Well, I have to finish my shopping and head on home! Chat with me some time?"

"Yeah! That'd be great!" Over my dead body!

"Buh-bye!"

I watched her walk around me and turn into a different aisle.

I should've earned an Oscar for that performance.

**...\~/...**

My Wal-Mart adventures didn't end with Katie, however.

So, I was minding my own business when all of a sudden, a heavy weight was thrown onto my back, a pair of arms wrapping themselves around my neck. My immediate reaction was to bend the pinky of one of the hands, causing the person to yelp in pain and bring their arms back. I whipped around, my car key between my fingers, ready to punch whoever it was. When I saw who it was, I let out a confused, "Tosh?" A smile came from the man before me and he wrapped his arms around me, literally picking me up off the ground, and twirled me around once before setting me down. And that's when his lips pressed against my cheek ever so softly, lingering for a moment.

"Nice to see you, sweetie." he said, grabbing my hands and swinging them from side to side.

"Y-yeah..." I said, my voice cracking.

"A bit jumpy, though..."

"Well, how would you react if someone hugged you from behind?"

Before he could respond, I watched as a man walked up to Tosh from behind, pressing a finger to his lips to signal silence on my part. Then, he wrapped his arms around Tosh's neck from behind. The new man smiled at me, winking. I fought against my gag reflex and the urge to turn and walk away, but Tosh still had a hold of my hands, me being too weak-willed to pull my hands out of his.

"Ripley, this is my boyfriend, Oliver." Tosh introduced. Oliver reached a hand out, which gave me plenty of reason to pull my hands out of Tosh's grasp and shake Oliver's.

"Well, I have to-"

"Aw, do you have a special someone?!" Tosh asked, rushing over to my cart and picking up a box of candies.

"Uh, sort of. I thought maybe I should send those to him..."

"That's _so _adorable! I bet he can't keep his hands off you." he said, giving me a wink.

My face flushed, "He lives in New York City. We're talking over Red Hue."

Even though I found Tosh slightly creepy, I still got along with him. He was good to talk to and fun to be around, just as long as he kept his hands to himself, so I had no problem telling him that I was talking to someone. I halfway wished that I could tell him that I was _seeing _someone, but since Hikaru and I weren't exactly _dating, _I didn't have the right to say something like that. Watching Tosh put the chocolates back in my cart, I had to wonder if Hikaru would appreciate something of low quality, him being rich and all, so I assumed that he was used to higher quality chocolates from foreign countries. Great, now my many minds were debating on whether I should get them for him or not. It was Valentine's Day, and no matter how much I despised the damn holiday, I thought it was only polite to get something for Hikaru.

Tosh said his farewells moments later, telling me that he and his _boyfriend _had to finish shopping.

My shoulders fell soon afterward, the box of chocolates in hand.

"I should get him something more expensive..."

**...\~/...**

"I got a boyfriend and you don't! I got a boyfriend and you don't! I got a boyfriend and you-"

"SHUT UP!" I yelled, reaching in the box labeled 'Stuff Ripley Can Thrown On Valentine's Day'. I threw a super-glued plate on the ground, satisfied by the crash it made, the plate breaking into six pieces. Then another and another, I failed to hear MJ talking to someone on my phone over the blaring heavy metal music coming out of the stereo and the stress-relieving sounds of things breaking.

"_Um...hi...I'm Kaoru..._"

Okay, I heard that. The whole apartment went quiet, the music shut off and me ceasing in my destroying of everything in my path. That voice, with its rasp and gentle undertone was enough to send me over the edge. I dove towards the phone, squealing "SO CUTE!" with Dawn and Erika. "Oh my God, Kaoru, you have such an adorable voice! Say something else! Please?" I exclaimed excitedly. It was surprising how much I reacted, but I just couldn't contain it. "Hey, Dawn, he sounds like that one voice actor...ya know, the one that does that really cute, childish voice!"

"_Thanks, guys. I have to say, though; that's the first time I've ever gotten a compliment like that!_"

Oh my gosh, so adorable...

And Kaoru's cuteness didn't stop at his voice. His personality was warm and cheerful, a big contrast to Hikaru, who was usually dark and bitter. He talked about how much he loved his brother, something I found rather admirable since I want to strangle mine on a daily basis; he and Hikaru had only ever been in one serious fight, the rest being theatrical when they were bored. Kaoru told us about his job and three designers that he worked with often; about how he met Clarisse and what she was like. I could hear Hikaru grumbling about something in the background, causing me to laugh silently. I always found his complaining rather amusing.

Then, Kaoru said, "_They just met me and they already love me._"

"_Yeah...they _sure _do._"

"_Hikaru...don't..._" Kaoru said warningly, his voice low.

My heart seemed to stop when Hikaru shouted, "_Well, if she loves you so much, why doesn't Ripley go after you instead!_"

"What the hell is wrong with him?" MJ asked sharply.

"_Hikaru...well...he was hurt by someone a long time ago and he's still wounded by it. Because of that, he's even more afraid that people he cares about will be taken away from him, but even before, when we were kids, he was like that. Hikaru's always been possessive and gets jealous easily...sometimes too easily. So, if Hikaru ever lashes out, please don't take it offensively. He just...doesn't know how to control his emotions very well and shows them rather rudely._"

_So, are you going to tell her about the other woman?_

_Ripley, I need to explain about earlier. I had no idea that Syd was-_

_Hikaru, are you really ready to tell me?_

That day came rushing back. Syd saying 'other woman', Hikaru being not ready to tell me the truth, and now Kaoru saying that he was hurt by someone and hadn't fully recovered from it. Possessiveness being one of Hikaru's main traits it seemed. I wasn't stupid, I could see the pattern of things. Maybe the person Kaoru was referring to was the other woman Syd mentioned and because of Hikaru's possessive nature and fear of people being taken away from him probably meant that he was still hung up on this possible woman. The burning in the pit of my stomach fired up again, a tingling sensation sweeping up my spine. No, I couldn't feel like this right now, especially when Hikaru's hurt voice kept on ringing in my ears.

"Should I talk to him?" _Ripley_ asked.

"_Erm...no. He may say hurtful things, so let me talk to him, okay?_"

"Yeah...alright. I didn't want to make him mad."

"_He's also hot-headed. Anything can happen..._" Kaoru chuckled. "_So, talk to you guys later maybe?_"

My roommates agreed while I stayed quiet.

**...\~/...**

"Guys, I appreciate you taking me out to ice cream and everything, but you can stop with the cheerfulness. It's freaking me out." I said, my voice low and bland. I knew they were faking it...or at least Renee was because she had laughed at almost everything I said and she _never _did that. It was a shame that MJ couldn't come. She had said something about needing to get a paper done. Dawn parked her car in the driveway, Renee and I having to wait for someone to let us out since Dawn's back doors didn't have handles on the inside. Erika let me out, giving me a hug once I got out. When she let go, she said with a coy smile, "Have fun on your Valentine's Day date with Hikaru!"

I gave her a confused look, "What?"

"Hey guys!" I heard MJ shout from the apartment stairs. We all looked at her as she approached, "Ready to go?"

"Where are you guys going?" I asked.

"Out." she replied curtly, sliding into the passenger seat, slamming the door shut. It wasn't moments later when the car started backing out quickly, the tires spinning over the gravel for a minute before it finally backed out the drive, Dawn's blue ex-police car speeding down the alleyway. Well, that was rushed... I sighed, walking slowly up the rickety steps, hearing them groan below me as I reached the door. Bells tinkled when I opened it, sliding in. A waft of something delicious hit me and I headed to the kitchen, hoping that there was leftovers of whatever MJ made.

I was stunned when I saw the set-up.

"What in the... Oh. My. God. Hikaru! What is this?"

Displayed out in front of me was our apartment's kitchen table pulled out slightly with a lacy tablecloth spread over it. Two candles were lit, one of each side of the table, and a vase full of two dozen red, peach and white roses were beautifully arranged. Two plates, one full of chicken alfredo and salad and the other empty; two sets of silverware, and two glasses, one full of wine and the other dry, were placed neatly on the table as well. Then, there was my phone, which I had misplaced earlier, propped up against the flower vase, Hikaru on the other line waiting for me.

"_It's for you._" he answered, his voice sounding as smooth as ever.

I laughed while saying, "I can't... I can't believe this. This is just too... I love it."

"_I'm glad. I wanted this to be special._"

"No one's ever done anything like this for me."

"_Well, you can't say that anymore._"

"Why did you do this? I mean, I love it, but you didn't have to go-"

"_Because I lov- like like you._"

My heart felt like it was going to explode from how fast it was beating.

"Well, I like like you, too."

This was one of the few times when I wished I could say 'love' instead of 'like'.

* * *

**February 25th, 6:38 P.M.:**

"Yes! We have the same movie time!" I said victoriously, pumping my fist in the air.

My phone started ringing and I quickly answered when I saw Hikaru's name.

"What up, Hika, my-"

"_R-Ripley..._" I heard him say, but he trailed off when something that sounded like a sob escaped him. When I heard him start to cry, it felt like a hand came in and squeezed my heart, its grip tightening more and more. "Hika, what's wrong? Why are you crying?" I asked gently. He didn't answer for awhile, just cried, sounding like he was trying to keep the sobs back, but they just kept on breaking through. My heartstrings were pulled taut at this point, my mind searching for comforting things to say, but I failed to say anything. "Hika...please, tell me what's wrong."

"_I...I d-don't know... I j-just started c-crying and...I just...called you..._"

I hated being useless.

I had no idea what to do.

If I was actually there with him, I'd be holding him in my arms, combing my fingers through his hair.

"_Will you sing to me, like you always do?_"

"Uh..._sure..._" How could I deny such a request when he was talking in that weak voice? My brain wracked for songs I could sing, but none of the ones I was coming up with weren't comforting at all. Then, a song finally popped into my head. "I'll hold your hand when you are feeling mad at me. Yeah, when the monsters they won't go and your windows won't close, I'll pretend to see what you see. How long, you say how long, will you relive the things that are gone? Yeah, the devil's on your back, but I know you can shake him off."

He was still crying.

"And every day that you want to waste, that you want to waste. You can. And every day that you want to wake up, you want to wake. You can. And every day that you want to change, that you want to change; yeah, I'll help you see it through 'cause I just really want to be with you." Sniffles from Hikaru came through the phone, but it seemed like he was calming down a bit.

"_Please, don't stop._" he whispered.

"You know it's funny how freedom can make us feel contained? Yeah, when the muscles in our legs aren't used to all the walking. I know if you could snap both your fingers, then you'd escape with me, but in the meantime, I'll just wait here and listen to you speak or scream." I repeated the chorus, realizing just how true these lyrics were when it came to our relationship. It was getting to the point where all I wanted was for him to be happy, no matter where I ended up in life, whether I'm his friend or something more. It took me a long time to admit this, after I selfishly clung to the idea of me being the only important woman in his life, but if there ever came a time when Hikaru found another woman and she made him happy, then I knew that I would just let him.

I was weak when it came to Hikaru.

"The truth cuts us and pulls us back up and separates the things that look the same, but you can fight it off. You can fight it off, you can." Repeat of the chorus once more and done. I listened in silence for a reaction, but all I got was quiet. "Hikaru…?"

"_Thank you._"

I looked down at my bad hand, fiddling with the three fingers that were cut.

"Hikaru, can you do something for me?"

"_Yeah, I guess..._"

"At seven thirty, I want you to be at the Manhattan movie theater, and get one ticket for Safe House. Get yourself a bucket of popcorn, a soda, and anything else you want. Then, text me when you sit in the theater itself."

"_Why do you want me to do this?_"

"Because we're going on our second date."

**...\~/...**

_To Ripley: I wish I was there with you right now._

_To Hikaru: I know. We'll be able to do this in person someday._

_To Ripley: Why can't I just send you money for a plane ticket? That way we'd be able to meet now instead of later._

_To Hikaru: Because I want to earn the money on my own. Hey, is your theater empty?_

_To Ripley: You're changing the subject and no, it's not._

_To Hikaru: I know I am. _

_To Hikaru: Enjoying the movie so far?_

_To Ripley: I think this has to be the best movie date I've ever had._

_To Hikaru: Good! I was inspired by our dinner date on Valentine's Day._

_To Ripley: I really, really want you here right now._

_To Hikaru: I wish I was there with you too._

_To Hikaru: Did you like the movie?_

_To Ripley: Yeah, I did. I thought it was very well done._

_To Hikaru: Denzel Washington is a phenomenal actor, so it wasn't a surprise. _

_To Ripley: I hope he isn't another actor you find attractive..._

_To Hikaru: Oh, whatever...and he's not, so you don't have to worry. Worried that you'll have competition?_

_To Ripley: I don't want you finding any other man attractive but me._

_To Hikaru: Fine. If you want me to do that, then I expect you to do the same._

I knew I hit a sore spot because I never got a text back.

* * *

******March 4th, 1:03 P.M.:**

When I saw those posters of Hikaru and Kaoru at the mall, I felt my self-esteem plummet. His dark hair slightly long and layered, bangs parted to the right, the one thing that helped people differentiate him from Kaoru in high school. His golden eyes were narrowed, staring directly at us, gaze seductive and sexy. And what got the girls really going was the skin he was showing by lifting his dress shirt up, exposing his stomach for everyone to see. He was so handsome and obviously easy on the eyes, according to all the other girls in the crowd. I looked down the mall on both sides, suddenly taking notice to all the other posters hung up on clothing store windows. Maybe I wasn't as observant as I thought I was or maybe I'd always seen them, but never really thought anything of them. I turned my head back in the direction of the poster we were standing in front of.

"Damn," I heard one girl in the crowd say. I took in how pretty she was. "If I had _that _in my bed every night, I'd be set for life."

I couldn't help but mock her, "If I had _that _in my bed every night... Shit, give me a break."

"Excuse me?" the girl asked, turning on me. Ooo, awkward, she heard me.

"Just be glad I didn't punch you." I said, walking away. I heard her hiss, "Bitch."

If women like that chased after Hikaru, then what kind of women did Hikaru like? I lifted my arm, pinching the skin. Sure, I had more meat on me than the average girl, and my short height made me look heavier than I really was, but I hoped that didn't make a difference. I looked back at the poster, then at all the girls that were like me. They all had dreams that pertained to them earning the attention of someone attractive like Hikaru or Kaoru.

A salesgirl approached me, giving me a large smile. "Hi there! We just got Kaoru Hitachiin's Men and Women Spring Collection. Here take this," she said, handing me a flyer. It had the same picture as the poster on the window. "Have a nice day!"

"Rip, are you okay?" Erika questioned. "Are you that surprised by his appearance?"

"Oh, um... I'm fine." I responded, smiling sheepishly.

Note: Please read the end of chapter 11 for more details. Thank you! -Ripley

* * *

**July 24th, 4:25 P.M.:**

"_Ripley, please call back. I'm sorry about earlier. I've just missed you and I'm worried about you. Call me back when you get this._" my voicemail said, Hikaru sounding desperate as he talked. I sighed, about to snap my phone shut when it was suddenly grabbed out of my hand. "Hey," I shouted, looking up at Kit Elderidge, a man from Barkman College that attached himself to our group, like a leech on our legs. Annoying, perverted, and sleazy were the only words to describe him. I wish there was something good I could tell you about, but there isn't, so on with it. "Give that back, please." I demanded, reaching out for it, but Kit was around six foot and my five foot two frame and when he held my phone in the air, only a miracle from God could get it back for me.

"Only if you kiss me!" Kit said, his face suddenly getting very close to mine, his breath fanning across my face and I nearly gagged.

"What the hell did you eat earlier?" I asked, waving my hand in front of my face. "A dead carcass?"

"Mmm, no." He slithered his arm around my shoulders, "How about you and me ditch this place and go back to my house and have some M-rated fun?" he asked, arching an eyebrow.

"Oh, you were thinking about playing Assassin's Creed too? What a coincidence!" I faked excitement, but then peeled his arm off my shoulder. "But seriously, no. I need my phone."

"Why? Cheating on me?"

"Uh, _no. _I need to call someone..."

Kit grinned impishly, tucking my phone in his pocket, patting the outside. "Nah, I think I'll keep this for safe keeping."

What an ass...

Hikaru's desperate and pleading tones were something I had gotten used to. He didn't deserve it, I knew that, but ever since I saw those posters, I'd been depressed. My thoughts about how there was a huge chance he wouldn't find me attractive when we met kept me from enjoying myself these past few months. Every morning, I struggled to get out of bed, dreading the thought of having to go to classes. All I wanted to do was write, something that made me feel better, but recently, due to my funk, my work was unsatisfactory, nothing making me feel accomplished. I never wanted to go anywhere, instead wanting to spend my days locked up in our apartment. My roommates had to practically drag me out of the apartment to the mall today, and I definitely wasn't in the mood to deal with Kit. The last few months, I haven't wanted to talk to anyone about my problems, and every time Hikaru would call or message me, all my negative thoughts would lead me to end our conversations early and my messages short. MJ had even mentioned something about it, telling me that I needed to straighten up because I was being a bit of a bitch.

Hikaru was too good for this kind of treatment. He hadn't done anything to get this kind of behavior from me. I was being horrible to him.

I _was _being a bitch.

"Hey, we're going to get some lunch!" MJ called from over her shoulder. She looked from between me and Kit, secretly relieved that he wasn't hitting on her anymore.

"How about you and me skip lunch and go straight to dessert?" Kit asked, nudging me with his elbow.

"How about we do that _after _you die in a hole?" I replied pleasantly.

"Oh, you wound me, Ripley!"

"Touch me again and I'll make sure you never breathe again."

"You're so cute when you're threatening."

I glared at him, "Then you'll think I'm adorable when I smother you in your sleep." I spat.

**...\~/...**

I watched as Kit answered my phone, "Kit speaking!" Moments later, he said, "This is Kit, Ripley's lover. Who is this?"

That's when I snatched the phone from him, seeing that it was Hikaru on the other side.

"Hika, thank God you called!" I called him Hika, something I hadn't done in awhile. "Hold on... Kit, if you ever take my phone again, I'll cut off your hands and feed them to the coyotes, got that?" Then, I directed my attention back to the phone. "That guy's seriously a creep. I'm so glad you called."

"_I'm just glad you answered. I've been calling you all day._"

"I know. I heard. I would've answered, but Kit stole my phone and wouldn't give it back."

"_Have you told that idiot to get lost?_"

"No..."

"_And why not?_"

"Because I'm five foot two and he's almost six foot, who possesses a violent temper." Then, she added, "Hika, are you okay? You sound upset."

He had a right to me upset.

I've practically ignored him for the last three months.

"_Ripley, I need to tell you about the woman I love._"

It was like my heart stopped.

Because I knew he wasn't talking about me.

**...\~/...**

Sitting in the last bathroom stall on the left, I braced myself for what was to come.

"Tell me about her." I knew I was going to regret saying those four words.

And he did. He told me about how a woman named Haruhi was the first person to tell him and Kaoru apart, but not because of the parts in their hair or the way they spoke, but their personalities, something that no one had done before. Over their time together, he started falling for her; loved her blunt personality, the way she would fret over the stupidest things, like missing sales at supermarkets or running out of rice, and her cooking. Hikaru told me about the painful memory of Haruhi rejecting him when and how he battled for her when Tamaki had finally gotten over his trauma and accepted his feelings for her. "_I've wanted her for six years, Ripley; I just can't think of a different girl for me. I'm picky because of her now. I always look for the blunt honesty she had, but girls around here don't have that. They just tell me what I want to hear and not what I don't. Haruhi always had a way of making me realize things and I loved that._" Hikaru told me about how envious he was of Tamaki, but how he was happy for him and loved him at the same time. He was a walking contradiction, that's all he called himself. He said Haruhi was the reason why he and Kaoru grew up to be individuals, not the same, like they had planned on doing when they were kids.

"She sounds like a beautiful person." I said softly.

I could picture him smiling. "_She is. She truly, truly is._"

There was a silence.

"_But then I met you._" he said. "_You do crazy things to me, you know that?_" he added with a laugh.

"No, I didn't know that." I replied.

"_You do. You make my heart race every time you call or message me, you make me feel warm and give me butterflies. I laugh when I talk to you and you give me hope that I can get through these hard times. God, and your voice. I love how you say my name and the way you say 'Hika' in that adorable way you do. I want you and I need you, but I'm trapped, and you're my only way out. If...if you wait for me just a little longer...I'll be there...with you..._"

"I want you, too."

And he started crying, reminding me of all the previous times he cried to me. Him sounding so sad was always enough to drive me into tears as well and this time he succeeded because moments later, I was balling like a baby too. No one in the bathroom knocked on the stall to see if I was okay or if I needed anything, preferring that anyway, but it was something I noticed nonetheless. "You fool, you made me cry too." I said with a laugh, a sob escaping me.

"_At least we're crying together._" he replied in a quivering voice. "_I wish I was there with you._"

"I wish you were here, too. I just...want to be with you." Another sob from me.

"_We will...I promise..._"

"Hika," I said in a small voice. "What are you going to do about it?" I asked.

"_About what?_"

"About Haruhi."

"_I-I don't know._"

"You should call her. How long has it been since you've talked to her? Two years? Talking it out is always the best solution. It's hard to make the first move; trust me, I would know, but it looks like she's not going to, so you'll have to. You've stuck yourself in this reality where you think Haruhi's mad at you and that's causing you to not do anything about it. She's not mad at you, though."

"_And how do you know that?_" he asked.

"Kaoru told me."

"_Kaoru?! Since when has Kaoru talked to you?! How come you never told me?! How come he never told me?!_" Hikaru exclaimed in a surprised voice. Kaoru and I had started talking a month before. When his adorable voice filled my ear, I seriously thought I was in Heaven. We talked about anything, from Japanese customs to embarrassing stories about Hikaru, which were always the best. One day, however, things got a little serious when I asked him if Hikaru was in love with another woman. When he had said yes, that's when I realized I probably had close to no chance.

"We talk on a daily basis. And he's told me all your embarrassing stories!" I said with a grin. "Is it true that you stopped wetting the bed when you were eleven?" I snickered through the phone.

"_That's not true! Kaoru was the one that always sucked his thumb and he was a crybaby in elementary school, crying over the stupidest things! And...and...he-_" He was cut off by my laughter. "_What's so funny! Ya know, I can always call your brothers and ask for embarrassing stories!_"

"Relax, he didn't say that. I made it up, but since you acted so defensive, I'm beginning to think I might've hit a sore spot..."

"_You did not! It's all a lie!_"

"I'd love to see your face right now! I bet it's hilarious!"

"_You're so mean to me..._" he pouted through the phone. He was so adorable sometimes.

"Oh, you know I love you."

That's when the shit hit the fan. I couldn't believe I just said that! B-but I didn't mean it like 'Oh Hikaru, I love you so much! Let's elope now!' I meant it jokingly, like how friends tell each other that they love each other after teasing one another. But crap, I didn't want to be just friends with him! Shit, I don't know what to think anymore! Knowing Hikaru, he was probably contemplating about what kind of love I was talking about. I had to wonder if he was as red I am right now.

"_Did...you...mean...?_"

"N-no! I meant...I-I, well...I mean... It was truly platonic! It...just..."

WHY'D I USE PLATONIC?!

"_N-no, it's f-fine. I was j-just wondering..._"

I DIDN'T WANT OUR RELATIONSHIP TO BE PLATONIC!

"I still think you should call Haruhi." I said finally, trying to keep my voice steady. "She'd be happy to hear from you."

"_Why are you so persistent in me calling her? You know, most women would try and keep their love interests away from other women. Don't you want me all to yourself?_" Of course I want you all to myself. "_You're not trying to dump me off on another woman, right?_"

"No, it's just...I want you to be happy. And if reconnecting with the woman you love makes you happy, then so be it."

"_Ripley... I can't...not alone..._"

"I'll be right here." I said soothingly.

It was my job to soothe him, be with him, and pick him up when he falls.

**...\~/...**

"_I'm going to do it._"

"Go ahead. You can do it."

"_Are you sure you want me to do this._"

"Yes, I'm sure."

He was dialing the number; I could head the clicking of the buttons on his phone. "_It's ringing..._"

While he waited for Haruhi to pick up, I thought about all that he told me. Haruhi must've been an amazing person if Hikaru had been hung up on her for so long. She had been his first love, something I believe Hikaru was slowly becoming to me- my first love. I was having such confusing thoughts, debating on whether some of my feelings were right or wrong. Did I want him to call this woman? No, I didn't, of course, but the way he talked about her... He'd been so happy...and that's what I wanted, for him to be happy. All my life, I've kept my emotions and thoughts to myself, so why would I start releasing them now? Was love connected to self-sacrifice? I had to wonder what Hikaru would've been like if Haruhi hadn't entered his life. There could've been a large possibility that we would have never met. Just the thought of that drove me crazy. Hikaru not in my life? The concept itself was hard to believe.

"_Ripley, do you lov-_" I heard Hikaru begin, but he was cut off when I heard another woman's voice.

"_Hello?_"

So that was Haruhi?

Seconds later, I heard the sound of Hikaru slamming the phone into the receiver.

"What was that?! Why'd you hang up on her?!" I shouted, my voice carrying.

"_I can't do it! I'm a coward! I don't want to talk to her! I'm too chicken and you can't make me!_"

"Hikaru, you can do it! It's just a phone call! Remember when I told you how scared I was to call you? Well, didn't I get over my fear?! You should too! Call her back!"

"_Fine! I can do it!_"

"Yes! Because beside the word 'manly' will always be 'Hikaru'!"

"_Kaoru told you that story?_" he asked.

"Yeah, one out of many."

"_What else has he-_"

"Hikaru, you're stalling! Call her!"

"_Fine, fine, I'm doing it now._" I heard him dial the number again and we sat in silence, waiting.

"_Hello?_" It was Haruhi again. He could do this. I was here with him. He could do this...

"_Um...h-hey, Haruhi. This is Hikaru._"

"_Hikaru? Hikaru! I can't believe you called! I'm so glad you did!_" She sounded so happy...

I sat in silence, listening to the two go back and forth in discussion. A smile appeared on my face. Why the hell was I smiling when Hikaru was talking to the woman he truly loved? Beats me... Probably because I sounded so excited once I got going, chattering about anything. He was always so quiet when he talked to me, letting me blabber about anything that came to my mind. I liked hearing this enthusiastic side of him, a side that seemed Haruhi had managed to bring out. Had to wonder how many other sides she'd seen of him. Hikaru had said that they'd been really close in high school, so maybe she had seen his vulnerable side before. For once, I wanted to see a side of him she had never seen before.

That's when the tears started to fall again. Wow, crying twice in one day.

A sob escaped me, which seemed to go unnoticed by Hikaru since he didn't ask about it, and I quickly pressed the 'end' button before he could. I moved to stand up, but my head collided with the metal bar above, and that's what sent me over the edge. I fell back to the ground, bringing my knees to my chest, face burying itself into my arms. This was horrible. This wasn't what love should do to someone. If I knew this was going to happen, I would never have written to him on Red Hue and if he had messaged me first, I wouldn't have responded. I was content before I met Hikaru, but now I felt like a part of me was ripped away, and that part was Hikaru. The fact that Haruhi was married and probably wouldn't leave her husband for Hikaru comforted me a little, but the possibility of them talking more and more and her falling in love with Hikaru was likely as well.

My phone buzzed.

Hikaru...

"Hey, Hika..." I greeted weakly.

"_I talked to her! I really, really talked to her!_" he exclaimed into the phone. "_I actually talked to her! And she wasn't mad at me! We had a civil conversation and I didn't make a fool of myself! Haruhi said she was glad that I called and that she was going to visit sometime when her schedule opened up! Oooo, I'm so freakin' happy right now!_"

"That's great! I'm so happy for you!"

It was like his celebrating stopped.

"_Ripley, have you been crying?_"

"Yeah, remember when we cried together?"

"_No, just now. Were you crying when I called you?_" I spoke quietly to him and I sounded congested. "_You were, weren't you? Don't lie to me, Ripley. Please, tell me what's wrong? Why are you crying?_" he asked gently. These were the moments when I knew I was in love with him. It was the moments when he sounded so concerned so spoke in that gentle tone of his. "_Come on, baby, tell me what's wrong._"

"Earlier, when I was talking to you, I escaped to the bathroom so Kit wouldn't bother me. And I lost connection, so I was going to go back out, but I hit my head on the handicap bar they have in the stall. It hurt like hell and I recommend you never do it."

"_So, that's it? You're crying because you bumped your head?_"

"Yes..."

I was such a horrible liar. "_Ripley, why can't you lean on me?_"

"What?"

"_I always tell you what's wrong with me and I told you about Haruhi. Do you know how scared I was to tell you because I've lost two very serious girlfriends by telling them about her and I didn't want to lose you? For once, I want you to tell me what's wrong, or is that too much to ask for? If we're going to be in a relationship in the future, we need to depend on each other to comfort one another. I've already made that commitment, so why can't you? I feel so useless when you don't tell me anything because I want more than anything to be there for you. Just, please...please, let me do that for you. Please..._"

I was quiet for a moment. "What have your past girlfriends looked like?"

"_Looked like? Why does it matter?_" he asked confusedly.

"Never mind, it was a stupid question. Just...forget I said it."

"_No, what do you mean?_" he urged. "_My last girlfriend was beautiful. I think she was even asked to model once._"

"...that's what I thought..."

"_What are you thinking? You can tell me._"

Footsteps approached the stall I was holed up in and a knock sounded. "Ripley, are you in there? Are you okay? You've been in here a long time."

"I'll be out in just a second!" I replied, trying my best to not sound congested.

Hikaru must've heard me because he shouted into the phone, "_Wait, don't go! Why did you ask?! What are you wanting to tell me?!_"

"Hika, I have to go." Click... I didn't even wait for a good-bye.

I stood up, carefully avoiding the metal bar, and wiped at my face and eyes. Unlocking the stall door, I saw MJ standing there. "Is everything okay?" she asked.

"Yeah, everything's fine. Hikaru and I just had a lot to talk about. He's been going through a rough patch lately and we figured things out."

I started to walk away, but MJ's voice made me freeze. "When you're ready to tell the truth, I'm always here to listen!"

That was MJ for you.

* * *

**July 26th, 11:41 A.M.**

The first time I talked to Kyoya Ootori was the most intimidating thing I had ever experienced.

I was laughing with my brothers at my dad's house when there was a knock at the door. Thankfully, Joey had cleaned the place up earlier, so it looked presentable to guests. I gestured about me getting it when Quin moved to stand up and the moment I opened the door, a tall, blonde woman and a equally tall, spectacled man came in without invitation. I was _especially _surprised when the blonde woman brought me into a tight hug, refusing to let go until I returned the hug. When the woman pulled back, her hands still on my shoulders, I couldn't help but give her the most weirded out look I could muster.

"How are you, hun?" she asked in a thick, Southern drawl. "Remember me, Tara Alexander? We've played over the Xbox a few times."

Tara Alexander...? Tara Alexander... TARA ALEXANDER?! IN MY HOUSE?! That must mean...

"Hello, Miss Barrett," the man behind her said with a nod of his head. "Nice to finally meet you in person."

"Uh...hey..." I said weakly. I really hope my face wasn't red because it sure felt like it.

"Hey, sissy, why are you _blushing?_" Mark snickered.

Damn, my face is red. Kyoya was the definition of the type of guys I always found attractive.

"Uh, guys," I started, my voice small. "This is Tara Alexander and her boyfriend, Kyoya Ootori. I met them through Hikaru. Why they're here, I don't know."

Tara answered that for me, "Ripley, I need to talk to you for awhile. Kyoya," She turned to him. "You be a good boy and talk with the other men." she said, patting his chest. Kyoya merely rolled his eyes, stepping aside so Tara could drag me out of the house. She pulled me by the arm all the way to a huge, silver truck, opening the door for me so I could crawl in. The inside was still cool from the air conditioner. Tara turned the truck on, slamming on the reverse, speeding down the country road, heading to nowhere.

**...\~/...**

Tara talked for most of the drive, telling me about all of her and Kyoya's times out of the country. I was especially interested about her times in Italy, hoping it was everything I ever imagined. It pretty much was; Carnevale was bright, vibrant, and colorful, the best costumes always handmade by people. The food was to die for, Tara said, and she promised to make me something the next time I met her, which was probably when I went to meet Hikaru in person. She told me about Spain and her family, how her aunt was like her and how her uncle was a total pushover when it came to her aunt. Tara was amazing, I concluded. She was the type of person I always wanted to be like, outspoken and leather-skinned, the worst of things never getting the best of her. She was how all the female characters I wrote about were like. Well-rounded, ambitious, and tough to impress, but I guess I impressed her somehow because she complimented me on many occasions. I took each and every one of them to heart; I had a feeling it was hard to get a word of praise from her.

I had to ask her because she knew Hikaru better than anyone else I knew.

"Is Hikaru shallow?"

I felt bad for interrupting her when she was in the middle of talking, but I had to know.

Her vivid eyes were on me, I could feel them.

"Yes...terribly so." she replied quietly.

"Great...just great..." I muttered, looking out the window. The world outside was a blur.

"Hopefully, Hikaru won't be a dumbass and look past the outside and remember who he spent so long getting to know." Then, Tara gave me another compliment that I took to heart. "In my opinion, you're a very beautiful person. Pushing your own feelings away just so you could make Hikaru happy. It must've been really hard when he told you about Haruhi."

"Yeah, I guess. I just...he seemed...I want him to be happy." I said finally, wringing my hands together. "Is Haruhi really that great of a person? She has to be in order for Hikaru to love her for so long."

"I guess she is." Tara uttered, slowing the truck down so she could turn. "I wouldn't know. I never really liked her, but I never really like anybody, so I'm not the best person to ask."

"Why didn't you like her?" Tara's jaw started clenching. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"Elementary through high school, I was never well liked. I'm a hard person to get along with, but a lot of people made fun of me because of how I looked, especially when I gained a lot of weight after my parents' divorce. I was a loser and I could never figure out what really appealed to people when it came to what was cool and what wasn't. After awhile, I started improving myself physically and academically, losing weight and getting involved in school more. But I was still hated amongst my peers. When I got to Ouran and I met Haruhi, I was envious of and pissed at her." Her grip on the steering wheel tightened, knuckles turning white. "I was like, 'How could a girl who's pretty much boring and insensitive get the attention of so many people?' Everyone _loved _Haruhi, the girls, the guys, the lesbians at a rival school, _everyone. _I still...couldn't figure out what appealed to people." The blonde sighed, pulling into my driveway. "Now, I don't want my opinion on her affect yours when you meet her. She _is _a nice person and does care a lot about her friends, including me, but...that's how I feel about her."

She reached over, bringing me into another hug. "We couldn't stay long because we have a trip to New York, but I just wanted to talk to you."

"Thanks for that. Hey," I looked at her. "Do you think Hikaru will accept me? I want an honest answer."

Tara stared at me for a moment before she said, "I want to say yes." That was enough for me.

I climbed out of the truck after saying good-bye to Tara, walking into my house. Kyoya stood up right when I entered, bowing to my family and bidding them farewell. I stood there with the door open for him and when he approached me, he did something totally unexpected. My eyes widened when he pressed his lips to my cheek, pulling back with a smirk. "Like I said over the phone, Miss Barrett, you're a very interesting person." And he left, me closing the door behind him. My jaw went slack and my face felt like it was going to burn to a crisp when realization hit me.

"He was cool. Why couldn't you meet him on Red Hue?" Mark asked.

I wanted to say, "Because I fell in love with Hikaru Hitachiin." But I didn't answer.

* * *

**September 10th through the 26th:**

So much happened between these two dates.

First of all, I met Hikaru for the first time in person on the 10th, and I had been so excited. When he looked at me up and down and scowled, Tara's voice saying 'I want to say yes' kept on repeating in my mind. When he said my name, I had thrown myself in his arms, surprising me as well. I wasn't exactly a hugger and me giving the hug was weird. And when Hikaru didn't return it made it even more awkward. At that moment, I knew things were going to go downhill. But then everyone else was so happy to see me, so why couldn't he? Tamaki had called me beautiful and Hunny called me pretty. Hikaru, however, would glare at me in contempt. My confidence had already plummeted at that point.

Second, our first official" date. Seeing him flirt with every other girl but me was one of the hardest things to watch. I wanted him to say those things to me with that voice and stare at me with those beautiful eyes of his. He paid no attention to me and made me feel like the ugliest person in the world. The girls he stopped to talk to would give me equally condescending looks, treating me like a pest, and at that point I felt like that was what I was- an annoying pest. Dinner was horrible.

_"What can I get you, sir?_" our waitress had asked.

_"Mmm, a plate of you to go, please?" _And he had said it, sending a narrowed gaze and smirk in my direction, knowing exactly what he was doing.

I remember wanting to take my chair and smash it across his head.

Thirdly...'I don't like the way you look.' I don't think I need to explain how I felt about that one.

Then, the week that before Hikaru came to apologize had been so difficult. I didn't talk to anyone, not my roommates, my brothers, my dad or mom, no one. I stayed in bed, only coming out to eat, shower and use the restroom. Just like the time when Hikaru spoke to Haruhi for the first time in two years, I wished that I had never met him. The dread and sorrow that I felt during that week was the worst and it had all been because of him. That week, I cursed him for making me feel so bad, and I wished I'd get a call saying he was...hit by a bus or something, but I'd immediately chastise myself for thinking such violent faults...but then my mind would imagine _me _driving the bus that hit him.

The day that Hikaru came to confront me was the first day I left the apartment. I'd gone on a drive and had just gotten back when I struggled to get into my apartment, seeing that the man that caused so much pain was the reason I couldn't get in. When I saw him, it was like everything he said and did that first day hit me all at once, and I ran. But I'll be damned, he followed me. I knew I should've driven away... But when he chased after me and apologized, begging for me to come back to him, I was amazed how a man I hated so much could make me fall in love with him so quickly. I guessed I never really hated him in the first place, but I knew he meant everything he said when I ran straight into his arms, much like I did on our first day of meeting each other, and the second time he returned it.

I was in bliss when he whispered to me, "I'm never letting go of you again, you got that?"

And when he held me that night again, I felt like nothing could go wrong.

That was until October 8th came around...

* * *

**October 8th, 2:08 P.M.:**

I was standing outside his apartment, my heart racing and face red.

I was going to be living with Hikaru for a whole week, something we both agreed on.

My fist almost hit the door before I froze, taking a deep breath.

I was so nervous...

I was going to be living with Hikaru..._alone. _Just the two of us with no disturbances. What was I going to do?

_Knock, knock, knock!_

When the door opened, I braced myself for a tackling hug, but all I got was a pissed off Hikaru.

"Is something wrong?" I asked hesitantly.

"We have a problem." he replied, stepping aside for me to look in.

There, sprawled on his couch, were my roommates, all waving at me with huge smiles on my face.

You know when I said I was going to be living with Hikaru _alone? _Yeah, well...just ignore that part, okay?

* * *

**...49 pages...20,077 words...longest chapter...**

**I won't update until I get 150 reviews.**

**...**

**...**

**...**

**Nah, just kidding, I wouldn't do that to you.**

**FYI, All Thanks To A Pulsating, Puke-Inducing Migraine is in the lead. VOTE IF YOU HAVEN'T YET!**

**Author's Note- Fin**


	20. Survive These Two Weeks In Hell: Part 1

**Step #20:**

**Survive These Two Weeks In Hell: Part 1**

**...\~/...**

**October 8th, 8:23 A.M.:**

He loved having Ripley in his life. He had a whole list of things he wanted to do with her, like give her a tour of New York City (keeping all rudeness and flirtatious attitudes towards other women out of it this time), let her experience New York-style hot dogs from one of the many stands in Central Park, and introduce her to Amaranth, the same restaurant Syd and Johnny went on their first date. He'd finally be able to do the Post-It Note idea he had wanted to do for so long, something he was sure Ripley would go along with. He'd make sure she stayed warm when they held each other close on the couch while they watched movie after movie, laughing at every funny part they could. He imagined them walking down the sidewalks of Central Park, admiring the way the leaves were beginning to change colors, and just talk like they used to do all the time. This week was the time for him to show her that he was a worthy boyfriend, wanted her to have no doubts about their relationship. Nine whole months he'd known her and he didn't want to screw it up, not like he did before.

Hikaru inhaled slowly, breathing in the numerous scents and aromas of his favorite café. He hadn't been in it for so long, but he was glad that nothing changed. The only thing that was different was the cashier, who was now a nerdy, pimply-faced teenage boy with red-studded braces on his teeth. Everyone around him was either laughing and chatting with friends or busily typing on laptops, trying to get papers done before the deadline. A particular couple sat together on one side of a booth, making out without a care in the world. That kind of thing used to bother him, but he ignored it with a smirk as he took a careful sip from his latte-filled Styrofoam cup. Hikaru diverted his golden eyes from the intimate couple to the drawing he was trying to complete. Professor Caine's assignment to his class was to draw everything important to them in a border of New York's skyline. Inside his skyline border was a collage of everything significant to him: Kaoru, the Host Club, his family, the staff at Alexander's Café, and of course, Ripley.

His phone buzzed on the table and after reading the caller ID, he picked up. "Hey, Kaoru."

"_Is she there yet?! Is Ripley there yet?!_"

"Aren't you a bit too excited, Kao?"

"_Don't I have a right to be, being your brother and all? I'm just...happy that you've found someone..._"

Hikaru gave a small smile, "Thanks. I'm just so nervous and excited. I don't want to mess anything up, but I get to spend a whole week with her."

The other side of the line got quiet. Hikaru was about to ask if Kaoru was still there, but then his brother replied in a cheeky tone. "_So...Hikaru...you two aren't going to do anything_ naughty,_ right?_" The dark-haired man flushed at his brother's raspy, suggestive tone, the question he asked not helping in the least. Hikaru squirmed uncomfortably in his seat, the phone slipping from his sweaty hand, clattering to the table. He picked it back up slowly, careful to not drop it again. "_Well? I'm not going to get any news about a possible niece or nephew, am I?_"

"N-no! Kaoru, how can you even think that?"

"_Because we're both warped, you more than me._"

"Well, despite what you say, I want this week to be _clean _and _romantic_."

"_Having se-_"

Hikaru quickly hung up on Kaoru before his brother could finish his sentence. His skin felt like it was on fire, his heart racing and palms clammy. Curse his brother for being such a pervert! Hikaru sighed, resting his head in his hand. He and Ripley had only been dating for two weeks, so those kinds of _thoughts _hadn't even crept into his brain yet. They were still in the stage where calling each other 'boyfriend' and 'girlfriend' was weird and every time he opened up Facebook, he would be surprised at how many likes he had on his 'from single to in a relationship with Ripley Barrett' status. It was even weirder having girls from Ouran congratulate him and ask about Ripley. And then of course the Demonic Brothers had commented, saying things like 'If only there was a dislike button...' and 'Hey, Hikaru, can you join our 'Hikaru Hitachiin Hate Club' page? So far, we have six people- us, Abraham Lincoln, Mahatma Ghandi, and Death the Kid.'

His phone vibrated again, this time a text from Tara:

_Your apartment is atrocious! Did you really expect to bring a lady in here?_

**...\~/...**

"Tara-senpai, you didn't have to come down and help. I was planning on doing all this myself later."

"Define 'later'? She could be here any minute. What? Did you want her to admire your glorious mountain of dishes?"

"How did you know?" Hikaru gasped out dramatically, clutching at his chest. "I wanted Ripley to see the mountain I created and you're ruining it."

"Sue me." Tara spat, drying off a dish as she turned to glare at him.

Hikaru sat at the island table, head tilted to one side. There was something different about his senpai, but he couldn't quite figure out what. She looked the same as she always did- long, blonde hair pulled back into a ponytail, her side-swept bangs falling into her vivid blue-green eyes; the dark circles she had had since the first day they met were still prominent on her fair skin. Tara was still tall, still cranky, and still foul-mouthed. Hikaru rested his cheek in his hand, staring at the woman before him. It'd been a long time since he and Tara had been alone in a room, left to talk just face to face without anybody interfering. The man's eyes flicked to the kitchen door, half expecting for a certain ex-vice president to come waltzing in, but the door remained closed. That's what was different: Kyoya wasn't with her. For the six years they'd been together, Hikaru couldn't remember the last time he'd seen them separated. They were the kind of couple Hikaru aspired to be, he didn't want to flaunt his relationship around, rubbing it into peoples' faces. But still, Tara seemed on edge about something.

"Tara-senpai, where's Kyoya-senpai?"

The dish she'd been drying slipped out of her hands and onto the floor, shattering into numerous, little shards. "You dumbass, look at what you made me do..." she hissed, hurrying to get the broom and dustpan. Her reaction to the question answered one thing; it had something to do with Kyoya. Hikaru noticed a faint blush on Tara's cheeks as she swept the shards into the pan, her eyebrows furrowed deeply, looking like she was deep in thought about something. Now what happened between the two, Hikaru had to wonder.

"He's still in Boston. He...had some work to get done and told me to go on ahead."

"Are you lying to me, senpai?"

"Hikaru, never in my life have I told a lie. Why would I start now?"

"But you seem kind of...off today. It does have _something _to do with Kyoya-senpai, right?"

He watched as Tara dropped the broom and came over to the table, plopping onto one of the stools. She folded her hands and set them in front of her mouth, diverting her gaze towards the window and away from the man across from her. She moved her hands down to open her mouth, looking like she was about to say something, but closed it, a dissatisfied groan escaping her. "Tara...?"

"Kyoya and I went to Japan a couple weeks ago to visit his family and still, after six years of trying to impress his family, his sister is still the only one that likes me!" she exclaimed, banging her fists against the table. "I just...I just don't know what to do and it's driving me _insane! _I want Kyoya to have someone that his family can accept and actually like so he won't be so concerned about getting his dad's approval! What if I'm holding him back? What if his dad has another woman in mind for Kyoya and he's waiting to break the news to Kyoya? What if-!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Tara-senpai, wait!" Hikaru shouted, holding out his hands to quiet her. "First of all, Kyoya-senpai wants his father's approval based on his work ethic, not who he's with! And since when have you _ever _cared about impressing his family? Never once have I heard you say anything about them."

Tara sighed, her hands shaking a bit as she wrung them nervously. "His dad introduced him to another woman."

"WHAT?!"

"Yep," Tara replied, her manicured nails digging into the top of her hand. "He did it right in front of me too. Kanayo Yamamoto, that's what her name was, and the daughter of a healthcare tycoon, just like Kyoya's father. She was..." Tara exhaled a shaky breath. "God, she was gorgeous, just the kind of woman you'd expect Yoshio Ootori to have his sons paired up with."

"But you're beautiful, too!" Hikaru exclaimed, leaning forward suddenly. "I can't think of anyone perfect for Kyoya, but you! He _loves _you."

Tara went quiet, but then, "Hikaru, you'll be the only one outside of Kyoya, his family, and I that will know this, and you can't tell anyone."

Hikaru arched an eyebrow, "Wha-?"

"I'm infertile."

It was like the whole world shattered for a moment. Here was Tara Alexander, the eldest of Nathan Alexander's seven daughters, a woman who was family-oriented and that used to care about nothing _but _her family. He remembered all the times she would talk about wanting a big family once she got married (_if _she ever found someone brave enough to marry her), wanting sons and daughters of her own. The Host Club used to talk about what Kyoya and Tara's kids would be like in the future, their kids being geniuses, awesome cooks, and short-tempered like their mother and demonic tendencies like their father. But now here was Tara, basically confessing to him that she couldn't complete those dreams of having a house full of little Tara's and Kyoya's (though the thought of that was rather disconcerting).

"What did Kyoya say?"

Tara shook her head, taking a deep, audible breath. "He didn't say anything. His father sure did, though."

"Of course he did. What'd that bastard say?"

"He said Kyoya should marry someone who could produce a suitable heir, so the Ootori name could continue. The next day, he introduced Kyoya to that woman."

"Tara..."

The blonde gave a sigh, wiping at her eyes. "Well, there's no point in blubbering about it." He watched as the vulnerable Tara returned to her scowling, moody one. "What does your bathroom look like, a cesspit?" she questioned, grabbing an assortment of cleaning supplies from under the sink. "Do you know how to clean a living room, dumbass?"

"Yes I do, thank you very much."

"Then _stop _sitting there and get going."

**...\~/...**

"You said you think sweater vests were sexy, right?" Hikaru asked, propping his phone between his shoulder and ear, holding up a red, dark gray and black diamond-patterned vest. Tara had ordered him to do things around the house, like clean the living room, his artist's station, his bedroom, and reorganize the storage closet for no reason. She wanted this place to be spotless and he hated how she forced him to do a majority of the work. After doing all that menial work, he'd gotten filthy, and the moment he got out of the shower, he heard his cell phone go off. It was Ripley, calling to inform him on where she was at.

"_Damn right, I do. Word of warning, though, I may not be able to keep my hands off of you when I see you._"

Hikaru gave a devious laugh. "And I wouldn't stop you."

"_W-well, good! Fine! That's...how am I supposed to respond to that...?_"

"You could elaborate on _what _you would do to me." he purred into the phone. God, what had gotten into him?

"_Um...I would, you know...do stuff and then other stuff...a-and, uh, do something else..._"

He could only imagine her face turning beet red at this current moment. He was right when he said it would be fun making her blush because it never failed to amuse him. Hikaru found it so cute how Ripley would stutter over the phone when he said something minutely seductive and incredibly adorable when she tried so hard to flirt back, but failed miserably. For some reason, because of their conversation, Kaoru's voice bounced around in his head, the suggestive questions he had asked earlier in the coffee shop echoing inside his mind. Hikaru shook his head of all indecent thoughts, but Ripley's stammering response forced him to reply, "But what _kind _of stuff, Ripley-_chan_?"

"_S-so, it's almost twelve o'clock," _Ripley said, clearing her throat. "_Did you just get up or something? Because you're asking me what to wear and-_"

"Nope, just got out of the shower. Wearing _nothing, _not even a _towel._"

"_Oh God..._" Ripley squeaked out, "_I'm hanging up now! Driving!_" Click!

After several moments of standing there and staring at his phone, the realization of what just happened finally sunk in. His eyes grew wide as he brought a hand to his mouth.

"Shit, what the hell just happened?!"

**...\~/...**

_Knock, knock, knock!_

Hikaru jumped from the couch, running to the door, only to pause by a mirror and check his appearance. He had to look perfect for her, _had to. _His hair was styled just the way he wanted it, bangs parted to the right like always. For once, his eyes didn't look dead and there were no dark circles to give him the appearance of being dead tired. Sweater vest over a dress shirt with a pair of dark jeans will hopefully make Ripley's statement about her not being to keep her hands off him come true. Hikaru stood in front of the door, taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly. A whole week alone with Ripley, a whole week dedicated to them with no disturbances. He put on a grin as he opened the door, but it immediately faded when his eyes rested on something unexpected.

"Are you lost?" he asked flatly, the urge to slam the door shut almost too powerful.

In front of him was Erika, Ripley's Asian roommate, staring up at him with puppy-dog eyes, feigning an "innocent" smile.

"You're not who I wanted to see. Good-bye." Hikaru added, moving to close the door, but the Asian girl jumped into his apartment before he could close her out forever. "Get out! Why are you here anyways?! I didn't give you permission to come to my house!" Suddenly, a thought that made him pale entered his mind. If Erika was here, then that meant...

"Renee!" someone (that someone sounding a lot like MJ) shouted out in the hallway, sounding like they were straining to do something. Hikaru groaned loudly, hitting his head repeatedly against the door when Ripley's red-headed friend came through the door, dragging something across the ground. That something...was Renee. The black woman remained sprawled on the floor, panting heavily. "All...those stairs...I'm dead..." Hikaru turned to say something, but the sight of MJ pushing a large luggage bag with Dawn riding on top of it into his apartment stopped him. "What are you-" A dramatic scream came from Renee, the woman stretching her arms above her. "I think...I think I see the light!"

"Shut up, Renee," MJ yelled, panting slightly. "You have nothing to complain about!"

"Yeah," Dawn added, "You made _me _carry all your bags and you have the most luggage out of all of us!"

"I felt your pain, though," Renee replied, pointing to her heart. "I felt it right here, right in my heart."

MJ looked up at Hikaru, noting his glowering expression. "What are _you _so pissy for?" she asked, giving him a glare that was equal to his.

"Hmm, oh, I don't know." Hikaru said snidely, his upper lip lifting in disgust. "I'm going to take a guess and assume it has _something _to do with four pests coming into my apartment uninvited, but still, I don't know."

"Oh, you have roaches? Yeah, you better get those checked out before they get out of control. Oh wait, on second thought, I wouldn't want you to get rid of your _only _friends." MJ retorted, standing up and crossing her arms. The two were at least a foot apart, grimacing at each other. "A roach among roaches and all that."

"Then they'd _love _you." Hikaru spat.

"Guys, let's not fight." Erika said, holding her hands up. "Ripley could be here any minute. Do you really want her to walk in on you two fighting?"

Hikaru shifted his eyes away from MJ for a moment, contemplating on whether or not he should stand down. Arguing with his girlfriend's best friend wasn't exactly the smartest thing in the world, but then again, they were being intrusive. Them being here meant that the week that was devoted to just him and Ripley was ruined because he knew for a fact that they'd follow their every step. Judging by MJ's hostility, he already knew she was going to be the biggest pain out of all of them. The other three were going to be easy to befriend; all he had to do was give no reasons for them to doubt him and he had them. Well, Dawn and Erika, at least since Renee seemed to not care. Hikaru looked back over, his eyes locking in with MJ's glare, her lips set into a firm frown. Yep, she'd be a hard one to persuade that he was a worthy enough person for Ripley.

"Where's Ripley?" he asked.

"Not here, obviously." MJ replied.

"No shit, I'm not blind. When she called last time, she mentioned _nothing _about you four coming."

"That's because she doesn't know we're here!" Dawn piped in, still sitting on the luggage bag. "We're a surprise!"

"A rather unpleasant one..." Hikaru grumbled as he closed to the door. He began to walk to his bedroom where he could pout in peace, but then MJ's voice made him come to an immediate stop, her words beginning to rub his nerves raw. He spun on his heel, his fingers curling into clenched fists, knuckles turning white. _Contain your anger, contain your anger, contain your anger... _Hikaru thought to himself over and over again. _Everything will be alright once Ripley gets here; she'll fix this. Hopefully..._ That's all he could do: hope. He knew Ripley wouldn't have much of a say in what they did if MJ had it stuck in her mind that she was staying.

"And where do you think _you're _going?" MJ questioned pointedly.

"To my room. Is there a problem with that?"

"Uh, yeah, we're your guests."

"So?"

"_So, _how about greeting us properly for starters."

Hikaru's eyes narrowed before he bowed dramatically in front of MJ, "Please, madam, and accept my apology for me being rude. I almost cannot contain my excitement for having the Queen of Bitches inside my humble abode." He couldn't keep back the smirk that was growing on his lips, letting it stay there even when he stood to see the dead-panned expression of the red-head. "Am I forgiven?"

"You're forgiven." MJ said after some thought, but then she added, "But just so you know, I'm the only bitch here. Call anybody else here a bitch and I'll kick your ass."

"Oh no, I was only reserving that title for you, madam."

Dawn and Erika looked between the two with mouths agape. Dawn leaned towards Erika, cupping a hand over her mouth. "I think MJ's met her match." Erika nodded her head in agreement. They watched as MJ sat herself on the couch, shoving Renee's feet out of the way. Dawn and Erika remained on the floor, waiting for Hikaru and MJ's next quarrel, but nothing happened. The dark-haired twin scoffed, walking over to his artist's table, pulling out the art project he had been working on earlier. The four women entertained themselves by talking, thankfully keeping him out of the conversation. Hikaru absent-mindedly ran his ink pen along the border, sighing. The moment Erika had walked in, the other three following suit, he literally felt his week of plans go down the drain. Every little detail he had imagined dissolved the moment he heard their voices. Finally, when things were going good for him, life had to rear its ugly head.

"...to eat?" Dawn asked from her spot on the floor.

"What?" Hikaru turned in his stool, his narrowed gaze settled on Dawn.

"I asked if you had anything to eat."

"No, and don't even think about going into my kitchen."

"Speaking of kitchens, I get his bed tonight." Renee declared.

"What does that have to do with kitchens?" MJ asked, face scrunched up.

"And my room is off limits! _No one _can go in there." Hikaru spat, his eyes mere slits.

"Why? Are you hiding something in there?" MJ asked, giving him a coy smirk.

Hikaru's shoulders slumped. Couldn't she just accept his rule of not going into his room without interrogating him? His eyes flicked to the clock, wishing Ripley would get here faster. He had to wonder how her roommates arrived in New York City before she did. They couldn't have left before her because that would've led to suspicion on Ripley's part, something they probably didn't want. Maybe if he impressed them enough, they'd all leave early, allowing him to have Ripley all to himself. He wasn't really keen on sharing her this week. Hopefully they'd listen to Ripley if she asked them to give them some alone time. For some reason, he felt like that wouldn't work, especially if MJ had a say in anything. Speaking of MJ, Hikaru noticed the look she was still sending in his direction, waiting for an answer.

"Oh yeah, I really didn't want you guys to find the horde of women I was keeping locked away."

Before MJ could get her comeback out, a loud banging came at the door.

The Roomies gasped in happiness and Hikaru's heart leapt.

She was here...

Ripley was here!

Hikaru started for the door, but MJ hissed, "Better not screw this up, _Hika_."

**...\~/...**

"Is something wrong?" she asked hesitantly.

"We have a problem." he replied, stepping aside for her to look in.

Hikaru watched as the smile she had on her face immediately drooped into a frown, sighing dejectedly. She looked just as disappointed as he probably did when he saw the four women too. He had to wonder what she was thinking at the moment, had to wonder if everything she had planned disappeared too. Hikaru stepped back, his hand still on the door when Dawn and Erika bounded from their spots, grabbing Ripley for themselves and hugging her tightly. They didn't even notice how she didn't hug back. No, the short woman didn't look happy at all, she looked mad.

"Ripley, we're so happy to see you!" Erika cried out, holding on to one of Ripley's hands.

"Are you surprised that we're here?!" Dawn questioned excitedly, gripping onto Ripley's other hand.

The woman in question diverted her eyes from the two, looking everywhere but at her roommates.

"I'm going to go get my bags..." she said quietly, pulling her hands from their clutches.

"But Ripley..." Erika whimpered, following her, but when Ripley waved her hand at her, the Asian stopped. She turned to Dawn, "I think she's mad at me..."

Hikaru rolled his eyes, arms crossed. "She's not mad at just _you, _she's mad at _all of you_." He looked from the four, noticing how MJ was sitting on the couch patiently waiting for his response. Knowing her, she was probably cooking up several comebacks as he spoke. "She was excited about coming here for week, especially because we would be spending it alone. Did you really expect her to be happy to see you? The first thing that probably entered her head when she saw you guys is 'Shit, our week's ruined'." Hikaru frowned, golden eyes flicking back to Erika when she spoke.

"We were worried that you'd hurt her again..." she said quietly.

Hikaru froze, that terrible feeling of remembrance spreading through him. "...I don't plan on doing that again..." he replied even quieter.

"But how are _we _supposed to know that?" MJ interjected. "How do _we _know you won't act like a total douche-bag again? See, we care about Ripley, so we have to make sure she's happy."

"Well, I can make her plenty happy on my own." Hikaru said. "_Without _your assistance."

His phone buzzed in his pocket. Ripley...

_Can you come down here and help me with my bags?_

**...\~/...**

Ripley's back was pressed against the back of her truck when he walked down to help her. The look on her face was unreadable, but he had a feeling that she was feeling both disappointment and anger about her roommates being here in New York. When he approached her, Ripley looked over at him and gave a big smile, walking up to him and wrapping her arms around his neck. He had to bend down in order for her to do so, his own arms coiling themselves around her waist. Even though he relished in the feeling of having her in his arms, it was still weird to be hugging a woman that was a bit fuller than most. He used to think that holding women like Haruhi was better, but after having Ripley, bigger women gave him more to hold.

Ripley tried to pull away, but he wouldn't let her, his arms wrapped securely around her. She gave a small laugh, returning her arms to his neck, Hikaru's head resting on her shoulder as he peered up at her. "So you're not going to let me go, huh?" she asked, her fingers playing with a lock of his hair.

"Yep, we're going to stay like this for awhile." he answered, tightening his hold on her.

There was a comfortable silence between them and Hikaru hoped to the Heavens that the Roomies wouldn't run down and ruin the moment. He nuzzled her neck, her warmth seeming to seep through his skin and spread throughout his entire body, making him feel relaxed and content. He could feel her scratching his scalp soothingly, the sensation causing him to close his eyes and enjoy the feeling of it. People walked past them and stared for a few moments before looking away, but Hikaru didn't really care what they thought of them. If they knew the crap he'd gone through to get where he was, they'd give him a break.

"Hika, I'm sorry about my roommates coming here. I had no idea they were going to do that. When I left this morning, they were gone, but I thought they had just gone to their classes early." He felt her pull him closer, like she was trying to make him feel her apology. "I was really hoping that we'd be able to spend this week alone…"

"Its okay." he reassured softly. "We'll manage. If I have to, I'll rent another apartment on the other side of the city so they can't find us."

"Um, you should actually do that right now because knowing them, we're _never _going to get any alone time." Ripley smirked, pulling back just enough to look at him. "You may actually want to rent five other apartments so we can alternate and keep them guessing in case they _do _find us at one of them." She watched him laugh lightly, his smile brightening his facial features. God, he was handsome…

"We can go to an entirely different state." Hikaru suggested.

"Nope, entire different _country. _MJ would still sniff us out, even if we moved all the way to Hawaii."

"I don't doubt that for a second…" Hikaru replied, his expression turning straight. After shaking the mental image of MJ smelling the ground in hopes to find their scent, he felt the brown-eyed gaze of Ripley staring right up at him. His golden eyes moved down, boring into hers. "What?" he asked, laughter laced into his voice when he noticed the goofy grin she was giving him.

"I'm just glad to be here with you." she said and he immediately felt a blush creep onto his face. "I've been really looking forward to it, too. To be honest, it's the only thing I've talked about since you left…" she admitted, a blush of her own turning her cheeks a deeper hue.

He didn't know what got in him when he started to lean in, but he was pretty sure it had something to do with the way she looked at him, and the sincerity that she had when he said that to him. And the fact that she started to move too so she could meet him was, for lack of a better word, amazing. Hikaru felt his lips graze hers ever so lightly, the feeling of electricity pulsating through his veins, his mind going fuzzy in an instant. Almost did he push further when a voice shouted behind them, "NO KISSING ALLOWED!"

Hikaru and Ripley pushed away from each other – Ripley wiping her hands against her thighs and Hikaru slipping one into his pocket while the other rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. MJ was standing there at the door, her arms crossed, tapping her foot against the concrete. The other three were nowhere to be seen. The smile Ripley had before turned into a frown at the sight of her best friend, her eyes narrowing.

"Shit, MJ, can't you give us some privacy?" Ripley spat.

"I was just saving you from making a horrible decision." MJ replied coolly, approaching Ripley without hesitation.

"MJ, I am a full grown woman. I think I can make decisions for myself, thanks."

"Well, it seemed you were choosing the wrong one, so I thought I'd tell you. Just being a good friend, that's all." MJ said, feigning innocence in both tone of voice and smile.

"No, what you were being was a pain in the ass." Ripley corrected. Her eyes shifted from MJ to Hikaru, who was shaking his head in defeat and had a rather put-out expression on his face. She had a feeling she'd see that expression on him a lot this week and she wished she had a way to change it. Ripley's eyes flicked back to her friend, saying, "MJ, can you just give me and Hikaru _five _minutes? Can't I just say hi to him?"

"So, your definition of saying hello is to make out?"

Ripley sighed in frustration, "We weren't _going _to make out."

"Definitely looked like you were going to."

"When you get a boyfriend, I'll make sure to breathe down your neck every second of every day when you go to visit him."

MJ shrugged, "I wouldn't care."

"Yeah, you would. It's annoying."

The red-head huffed, backing away from the two. "I only came down here to check on you, to make sure you weren't having difficulties or anything. Sorry I cared." And she directed a glare in Hikaru's direction before she turned on her heel to enter the apartment building, leaving Hikaru and Ripley to their own devices. The moment they were about to have before MJ came around was gone; they made no move to do it again. Ripley looked up and could make out Renee, Dawn, and Erika peering out the window that was placed in Hikaru's kitchen. They waved when Ripley noticed them, but she refused to wave back. All she felt at the moment was annoyance and frustration.

"It's alright; we'll figure it out." Hikaru said softly, trying his best to lift her spirits.

"No, it's not." Ripley muttered, not looking at him.

She felt her face grow warm when Hikaru's lips pressed against her cheek, lingering for a moment before pulling back.

"I'm serious when I said that we'll manage."

Hikaru obviously didn't know who he was messing with…

**…\~/…**

After pulling Ripley's few bags up the stairs, the couple stopped outside his apartment door, exchanging glances, both frowning. "My offer for renting another apartment is still up for grabs." Hikaru urged, wanting her to agree to it and leave her roommates to wonder about where they were. But Ripley shook her head, turning the knob to his door, swinging it open. The Roomies were perched on the couch and floor, just like how they left them. Three of the four turned their heads in Hikaru and Ripley's direction, Renee's eyes glued to the blaring television.

"Hey…" Ripley muttered to her friends, turning to Hikaru. "Where do you want me to put my bags?"

"My bedroom." he replied, taking lead and walking towards his room. Once again, someone got in their way, this time it was Erika. She seemed determined to keep the two from going to his bedroom, fists placed sternly on her hips. "Both of you in the same bedroom is against the rules! So is kissing, flirting, and inappropriate man-handling! Breaking the rules will result in immediate kicking Hikaru's ass!"

Hikaru and Ripley stood there with a dead-panned gaze. Erika didn't move from her pointing-accusingly-at-Hikaru pose, despite the failure to affect them in any sort of way. Hikaru then said, "Look, we're just going to go in there and talk for awhile, okay? Since, you know, you guys are in here, waiting to yell about everything I say."

"We don't yell about _everything _you say." MJ informed.

"The-" Hikaru started.

"Oh my God, he said 'the'!" the four chorused, going quiet, and then bursting out laughing.

"Let's just go…" Ripley whispered, nudging Hikaru's back with her bag. "While they're distracted and all."

That's when Renee chimed in, "Oh, dibs on his bed." She patted the couch. "My beautiful body can't sleep on this crap-ass couch. It has higher standards."

Hikaru snorted, "Beautiful body? Crap-ass couch? And, Renee, Ripley has more rights to my bed than you do."

"They're going to take that the wrong way…" Ripley mumbled, wincing when the four women let out shouts of protest. Their screeching voices were beginning to give her a headache, the pain starting at the nape of her neck and travelling upwards. She already knew she'd be popping pain pills everyday as long as they were here. And the things they were shouting were so gross that Ripley dropped her bag and covered her bag out of humiliation. Hikaru looked as though he would snap at any moment. It had only been about a half an hour since her arrival, too.

"Someone's lonely and looking to get bonely." Dawn.

"We have to protect Ripley's virginity from the evil Mr. Hikaru!" Erika.

"Do you hear them?! They want to bump uglies _while we're in the next room!_" Renee.

"None of that is going to happen without _our _permission, sir! You are still on probation, mister!" MJ.

Hikaru glanced at Ripley, seeing how she had her face buried in her hands, and dropped her bags to the floor, coming up to her. His hands wrapped around her wrists, trying to pry her hands away from her face so he could see what lay beneath. When he finally managed to pull her hands away, what he saw made his heart skip a couple beats. Ripley's face was bright red, looking like she might explode at any second, and her brown eyes were watery and her bottom lip quivered. She refused to look up at him when he whispered her name softly, too embarrassed to do anything. The Roomies were still tossing vulgar scenarios, ignoring the fact that their best friend was looking ready to pop.

"Alright, alright, that enough," Hikaru shouted, gaining the attention of four, very still, now very quiet women. The dark-haired man turned to Ripley, ordering her to go to his bedroom and forget about the bags. They all watched her scurry out of the room, keeping her tomato red face out of view. The older twin frowned now, turning slowly back to the roommates, who all had shivers run up their backs from the death glare he sent them. "If you're going to stay in this apartment, you have to follow _my _rules, got that?!" Three of the four nodded, MJ stubbornly refusing to do so. He went on, "One, there will be no more perverted interpretations of everything I say! Did you see Ripley?! You embarrassed the hell out of her!" Before anyone could comment, he continued quickly, "Two, when Ripley and I go out, which we'll be doing today, you four will refrain yourselves from following us, got that?"

MJ cupped her hand over her mouth, hiding it from Hikaru's view. "I don't like that rule; I'm not going to follow that rule."

Dawn nodded knowingly, "Neither am I." she whispered back, then turned towards Hikaru, pretending like he couldn't hear them. "Yes, sir! Anymore rules?"

Hikaru's eye twitched. Did they think he was stupid or something? Of _course _they did… "Three, no one can go into my bedroom, understand? And _no one _can sleep in my bed." the golden-eyed man emphasized, directing his gaze over in Renee's direction.

"Ripley's in your room right now. If no one's-" MJ started, but Hikaru interrupted her.

"Because she's my girlfriend, MJ, something you'll have to accept sooner or later. She's allowed in my room whenever she wants." He cleared his throat. "And now four, you can't fowl up my apartment or eat me out of the house? Clean up after yourself and we'll get along famously."

Dawn raised her hand and with the questionable raise of his eyebrow, Hikaru called on her. "Can we play your video games?"

"Uh…no."

"Can we take a dump in your toilet?"

He was taken aback by her question, then his stature slumped. "No, you have to hold it."

"Why would you want to use his toilet anyways? It probably has an STD on it or something from all the women he's been with." MJ stated matter-of-factly, staring up at Hikaru. "Man-whore."

"For your information, I've only had two serious girlfriends, and I have more dignity than to fling myself from woman to woman." he informed.

"Well, Ripley said that you were _quite _the charmer in high school, flirting with every girl that came your way. And don't even get me started on your time in Boston…" MJ trailed off when another voice growled out, "_I_ _never said that._" Everyone looked towards the hallway entrance and saw Ripley standing there, her fingernails digging into her thighs, trying to contain her anger.

"Yes you did, remember?" MJ narrowed her eyes. "The week after you visited him for the first time, you said he flirted with every single woman when you two went on that date, and you said that he flirted with girls all the time when he was in high school especially during his time in Boston."

Ripley's eyes were fixed on MJ, her face emotionless. Then, she walked towards Hikaru, grabbing his hand, and pulling him towards the door. "Come on, let's go get something to eat." she said quietly, opening the door, but the sound of MJ's voice made her stop.

"Great, we'll come wi-"

"No, you won't." Ripley interjected. "You stay here. Just…leave us alone…"

And with that, Ripley pulled a silent Hikaru through the door.

**…\~/…**

The couple ate their hot dogs in silence, the many sounds of New York City surrounding them. The bench beneath them was cold, but once the scenery of Central Park distracted them, the feeling no longer mattered. Hikaru eyed the woman next to him, chewing slowly and thoughtfully. His girlfriend has remained mostly quiet on their walk to the park, holding his hand tightly all the way over, like she was afraid to let go. He was glad that they'd gotten out of his apartment and away from her roommates because he could see the frustration Ripley was developing, looking like she was going to pounce on any one of them. Hikaru watched as Ripley balled up the aluminum foil wrapping, shooting it into a nearby trashcan.

"Did you like it?" Hikaru asked, the hot dog in his hand suddenly not looking very appetizing.

"Yeah, it was good." she replied, licking the corners of her mouth.

Another bout of uncomfortable silence. This type of silence was a first for them.

"Look, I know I apologized earlier, but I'm really sorry they came here. And I'm sorry that MJ keeps on insulting you like she is. I…I knew she was going to act like that towards you because she's still bitter about what happened the other week. I've told her that I'll take care of it, that she doesn't have to worry about me, but she refuses to let it go." Ripley still didn't look at him when she added, "And she won't let up until she's a hundred percent sure that you're a good match for me."

"I'd rather go against Godzilla. At least I'd have a better chance at winning…"

Ripley laughed lightly, "I'd have to agree with you on that one."

Hikaru smiled warmly, "I like your laugh. Have I ever told you that?"

"Yes…many times."

Silence for a couple moments. "Ripley, I really want this to work out. What if I don't get approval from any of your friends or family? What if they still hate me after this?"

"Then we'll have no choice but to elope, preferably to Italy." Ripley stated.

"Can't it be Spain or Bali or somewhere else?"

"No, it _has _to be Italy, it _has _to be."

"Why does it _have _to be Italy?"

"Because I'll be able to eat Italian food every day, ride in a gondola, attend Carnival every year, and drool over really hot Italian guys." The look on Hikaru's face was priceless, eyes wide and jaw slack; it was obvious that he didn't like the 'hot Italian guys' part. Ripley laughed again, moving closer to him so she could swing her legs over his and wrap her arms around his middle.

"I don't really like the idea of you finding other guys attractive but me." Hikaru grumbled, his arm automatically wrapping around her shoulders.

"Heh, I know. I just say things like that because you're cute when you get possessive."

"Hey, how about we walk around the city for a bit? Give us some time to talk before we head back to the apartment to be split up by your roommates."

Ripley smirked, "That sounds like a splendid idea, but there's one flaw to your idea."

"What?"

"Going back to your apartment…"

**…\~/…**

"Does everyone have everything? You guys need any blankets, pillows, cots, gags for your friends?"

"No, I'm pretty sure we have everything. Thanks, though."

Hikaru gave a small hum in response as he dried off another plate, placing it in its rightful place in the cupboard. Thank God Tara had prepared dinner for them earlier and left it all in the fridge to warm up or else dinner probably would've been a disaster. Now, he and Ripley were finishing up on the dishes while the Roomies set up their pallets out in the living room. Renee had the couch, MJ had the recliner, and Ripley, Dawn, and Erika had the floor.

"Is your back going to be okay if you sleep on the floor?"

"It'll be _fine. _Stop worrying, okay?"

"The offer for sleeping in my bed with me is still standing."

Ripley shook her head, smiling, "Hell no. You know how that would go down."

Overhead, the lights flickered when a loud clap of thunder boomed outside. Rain pelted against the kitchen window, sounding almost like ice bouncing off of glass. Ripley's expression showed discomfort, not from the storm, but from the thought of a blackout. Hikaru grasped her shoulder, causing her to look at him. "Don't worry, this storm's not bad enough for a blackout."

"What happens if there is one?"

Hikaru thought for a second, then said with a straight face. "I'll beat up Renee."

"Beat up Ren- why?!"

"I just don't know." Hikaru replied with a shake of his head and a sigh.

Another boom of thunder, another strike of lightning, and another flicker of the lights.

Hikaru gave a reassuring kiss to Ripley's temple. "I'm going to bed, okay? I have a long day planned ahead of us, so I want you to get some rest too."

"Alright... Good night..."

**...\~/...**

It was almost midnight when a loud thud woke Hikaru, causing him to sit upright. When he heard a pained hiss and a string of curse words, he asked in a questioning voice, "Ripley?" He moved to turn on the lamp, but nothing happened, and when a strike of lightning and a crash of thunder lit up New York City's dark sky, he knew that there must've been a blackout and Ripley had woken up to it. Another thud and a shout made Hikaru feel around on his nightstand for his phone, grabbing it finally and turning it on, the bright light shining over a disgruntled Ripley with a grimace etched into her features. Hikaru slowly got out of bed, directing his phone towards the ground so that he wouldn't trip over anything, and reached Ripley, setting a hand on her shoulder.

"How's your foot?" he asked.

"F-fine," she sputtered out. "But it's not my foot I'm worried about..."

"The dark?"

There was a pause of silence before Ripley muttered, "Can I sleep with you?"

At that moment, he was thanking the Heavens above that the storm brought about a blackout. His face flared up to a dark red, heat practically radiating off his skin. His whole body seemed to go stiff when Ripley's fingers curled around his sleeve, needing him to answer, but every answer he came up with would become lodged in his throat, his words coming out as a choked up mess. Just the thought of Ripley in his bed, snuggled up next to him was mind-spinning. Ripley's hand fell from his sleeve, hanging at her side now.

"I know you asked me earlier, but if you're actually uncomfortable about the thought, you can just tell me."

"N-no, I'm...I'm fine with it." Damn it, his voice cracked. He probably sounded like a teenager in puberty.

A shiver ran up his spine when Ripley's arms wrapped around his torso, her cheek resting on his chest. "Thank you, Hika..."

"No...problem..." he stammered out.

**...\~/...**

**October 9th, 8:38 A.M.:**

When he woke up, he woke up to two things: one) Ripley was huddled against, curled up into a little ball with his arm around her. Her brown hair had dried into a mass of curls, skin pale with shadows under her eyes. Despite having been together for just a few weeks, waking up to a woman beside him was a bit of a shock, the feeling being one he hadn't experienced in a while. Hikaru wrapped some of her curls around his long fingers, admiring how peaceful she looked at the moment. He hoped he was the reason for that peace, giving her solace when the blackout hit. And two) it took him a moment to notice, but someone was brushing their fingers along the skin of his stomach. Hikaru knew it wasn't Ripley since her arms were folded between them, so that could only mean one thing... Hikaru turned over, his back now to Ripley, and his face centimeters away from Renee, noses almost touching. At that moment, Renee's eyes slid open, her brown eyes meeting his golden ones.

"GAH! Get out of my bed, you moron!" Hikaru shouted, sliding back to get some distance from Renee, crushing Ripley in the process. His shout caused Ripley to jerk awake, groaning when the weight of her boyfriend fell on top of her. Ripley's hand flailed out, smacking a semi-awake Dawn in the face, which made her let out a scream, waking MJ and Erika, who were both huddled under blankets at the foot of Hikaru's bed.

"Get off of me!" Ripley spat, pushing Hikaru off of her. Hikaru sat up, looking between the other four women. "What in the _hell _are you doing in my bed?!" he asked loudly, demanding an answer. "Didn't I tell you the rules?! No one but Ripley is allowed in my bedroom!"

A sleepy-eyed MJ went to open her mouth, but a raspy voice answered instead. "So does that mean I'm not allowed in here anymore?"

Everyone, except Ripley, who had fallen back asleep, looked up at the bedroom door. Hikaru gasped when his eyes fell upon a grinning Kaoru, who was dressed casually in a light blue, striped button-up and jeans, his light red hair parted at the left as always. It wasn't two seconds and Hikaru was out of bed, his arms wrapped around a laughing Kaoru, Hikaru's head rested on his little brother's shoulder. Hikaru was always thankful for the red-headed twin's visits and calls, especially when he was so close to losing him after belittling Ripley during their first date. Kaoru slapping him and saying the words 'you sicken me' would be etched into his mind until he felt that everything between them was normal again. Hikaru could only wonder what Kaoru would do if things between Ripley didn't go as planned. Probably leave him, just as he was about to do weeks before.

"You know you'll always be allowed in my bedroom." Hikaru said.

"Oh really? Do you really think Ripley would mind sharing?"

"Stuck between two gorgeous twins like us? Nah, I don't think she'll mind."

The twins looked over when they heard Dawn gasp excitedly, shaking Ripley awake. "Ripley, did you hear that, DID YOU HEAR THAT?! They said...twins...in bed...with you!" MJ let out a squeal, pulling Dawn away from a shifting Ripley Barrett, MJ looking frightened. "Dawn, you woke up Ripley! You know how she is in the mornings!" Dawn's face was blank for a moment before realization hit and her expression turned scared. Dawn practically jumped into MJ's arms, Erika and Renee scooting to the end of the bed, hoping that Dawn didn't actually wake their friend up.

"Hey, what's the problem? She should get up any way; Tara's cooking...break..." Kaoru trailed off when Ripley sat up bed.

"You know," Ripley started, her voice low. "I have to get up at three in the morning every day for my paper route. Can I for _once _get to sleep in?"

The Roomies, Hikaru, and Kaoru screamed when they saw Ripley's expression, which was far too scary to put into words. The six witnesses couldn't get out of the room fast enough.

Once Ripley was alone in the quiet once more, she muttered grumpily, "Noisy fuckers..." and fell back onto the pillows.

**...\~/...**

"What the fuck is goin' on?" Tara shouted over the screams of six terrified individuals. Kaoru grabbed the blonde's shoulders, shaking her furiously. "She's just like Kyoya, Tara-senpai! Just like him! She even has the scary eyes and the scary face and the scary voice and everything!" Through her annoyed expression, Tara's face fell slightly at the sound of Kyoya's name, but her expression hardened when she shoved Kaoru back, shrugging his hands off her shoulders. Tara hissed, "You're all just a bunch of pusses, you know that? Grow some balls and go wake her up. Breakfast's almost ready."

"But...but...but..."

"But, but, but," Tara mocked in a high-pitched voice. She pointed her spatula at Hikaru, then at the door. "Since she's your girlfriend, you go get her, lover boy."

Hikaru shook his head, "Nuh-uh, she might eat me."

Tara's pointed look was all he needed in order to hurry out of the kitchen. But what he found in his living room was something he didn't want to see. Hikaru stopped short when his golden eyes settled on a bored-looking Clarisse De La Fontaine, who was perched elegantly on the couch, examining her red-painted talons. Clarisse's icy eyes flicked towards Hikaru when he entered the room, her gaze floating over his body like she was trying to find some flaw to pick at. Their eyes met and Hikaru watched as Clarisse's pink tongue darted out to lick her ruby licks, reminding him of a snake. Hikaru's eyes moved over to the door that lead to the hallway, his bedroom not to far away. One of Clarisse's talents was to degrade others, especially ones that had to do with appearances, and the only person he wanted to keep away from Clarisse was Ripley, who was still so sensitive about the way she looked. Knowing Ripley, she'd probably feel insecure the moment she set her eyes on Clarisse's size-two, flawless figure.

Hikaru was about to step towards the direction of his bedroom when Clarisse's French-accented voice filled his ears, "Zo, I 'ear zat you finally 'ave a girlfriend."

"Yeah, so? What's it to you?"

"Nothing. I just vanted to know vhat she ees like."

"Ten times the person you'll ever be." Hikaru retorted.

"No need to be defensive. I vas just vondering." Clarisse said back coolly, looking at Hikaru through her dark eyelashes. "Kaoru ees...quite fond of 'er."

"Is he now?" Hikaru mumbled, taking another step towards the hallway. Hopefully he could get to Ripley before she came out in her pajamas and curly bed-head. That'd be a horrible first impression for Clarisse.

"Yes, eet ees quite annoying. 'E goes on an' on about 'ow you two are perfect for each other. Ees she 'ideous like I assumed back on Valentine's Day?"

"No, she's gorgeous...and fuller than you are."

Their eyes locked onto each other, glaring. Clarisse's eyes moved past him, looking at something behind him. "Speak of ze devil..." Hikaru turned to see Ripley standing there, rubbing her eyes lazily, curls fanning out to the middle of her back. Her clothes were baggy, consisting of a gray T-shirt with the words 'Talk Nerdy To Me' spelled across it with 'Nerdy' in element symbols and St. Louis Cardinals shorts that probably belonged to one of her brothers at some point. Skin oily and pale with crust nestled in the crooks of her eyes, there was a million and one things that Clarisse could talk about. "Hikaru, I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier, I'm just...not a morning person..." Ripley said in a tired voice, coming towards him. Hikaru forced a grin, unsure about the expression Clarisse was giving Ripley, and grabbed his girlfriend's shoulders, ushering her back towards his room. "Wait, who's that?" Ripley asked, her feet planted to the ground as Hikaru tried to push her out of the room.

"Just a floozy, Ripley, and you know you shouldn't associate yourself with such women." Hikaru answered, smirking devilishly towards the blonde model, who huffed angrily.

"Is that Kaoru's girlfriend?"

Clarisse answered before Hikaru could, "Yes, I am. An' you are?"

"I'm Ripley, Hikaru's...girlfriend." It was still weird referring to herself as such, especially since they'd only been dating for a few weeks.

"Very...pleased to meet you..." Clarisse said.

"Ripley, don't you think you should get ready?" Hikaru asked through gritted teeth. He leaned in, cupping his hand around Ripley's ear, and whispering, "She likes to find flaws in people and pick at them, so I suggest getting dressed and all that before she says something rude."

Ripley frowned, "Fine..."

"Breakfast's ready!" MJ yelled from the kitchen.

"You dumbass, I could've done that!" Tara yelled.

"Then why didn't you?!"

**...\~/...**

Tara had stayed quiet for the duration of breakfast, even skipping out on moments where her sarcasm would've fit in perfectly. All throughout breakfast, Hikaru watched Tara stand by the counters, picking at her food with her fork, a rather sad expression on her face. The whole infertile thing was still fresh in his mind, and just the thought of it put a damper on his mood a bit, too. No one seemed to notice either, Kaoru being too absorbed in a conversation with the Roomies and trying to ignore Clarisse's complaints about Tara's cooking (another thing that Tara didn't respond to like she normally would when someone insulted her cooking), and Ripley was busy waking up and following the conversation her friends were having. Hikaru wanted to say something, but he remembered Tara mentioning that he was the only outsider that knew about the grave news and how she wanted to keep it that way. But were there exceptions? He wanted to keep it a secret, but keeping it from Kaoru, his own twin brother, and Ripley, his confidant and significant other, just seemed wrong. Maybe Tara would understand if he let out the news to just those two... Probably not...

"Are you okay? You seem...occupied..." Ripley stated, running her fingers through his dark hair. His eyes closed on instinct when the feeling of her fingernails scratching his scalp, the feeling too good to ignore. Ripley went somewhat stiff when Hikaru wrapped his arms around her, burying his nose into her neck. It was just the two of them, cooped up in his bedroom with everyone out in the living room. Hours had gone by of Kaoru, the Roomies, and Ripley just talking, but Clarisse's persistent whines got the best of his little brother and he finally caved into taking her to a cafe for lunch. Tara had left as well, saying that she had business to do at her dad's. But for reason, being nestled so close to Ripley and having her play with his hair made him feel so childish, like a mother who was trying to comfort a hurt child.

"Do you promise to keep a secret?" he asked, his lips brushing against her skin.

"I promise." she whispered back, her fingertips grazing over the nape of his neck.

It took him a while to muster the courage to tell her, going against Tara's wishes was something he hadn't done before and somehow felt so wrong.

"Tara's...she's infertile..."

Ripley froze for a moment, pulling away from him, "You mean she can't...?"

"Yeah..."

The look in Ripley's eyes was one of concern and sympathy. Sure, Tara had never seemed like the motherly type, but any woman finding out that she couldn't have kids would be devestating. Ripley settled a hand on her stomach, the thought of not being able to have children of her own bothered her. She looked down when Hikaru's hand covered hers comfortingly, squeezing it in his. Her brown eyes found his gold ones, suddenly wondering what his views on having children were.

"Ripley, do you want to have kids?" he asked thoughtfully.

"Yeah, do you?"

"Yeah... Do you want boys or girls?"

"Boys. You?"

"Girls. Seems we have a bit of conflict there, love."

"I'm sure we can work it out in the future."

"What are your favorite names?"

"I love the names Matthew and Isaiah for boys. Girls...I guess I like Finnegan and Faith."

"I like the name Rika, so have a girl or else..."

Ripley gave a small laugh before the room went silent, the silence comfortable between them. It was little moments like these that he cherished, telling him that even the quiet couldn't make them feel awkward, unlike some couples who always had to have something to talk about or else things would get uneasy between them. Having her arms around him was something he was only able to imagine throughout those nine months, and he felt most at peace doing it for real. Hikaru snuggled up against her, as close as he could, and sighed, enjoying the quiet. But when he heard a voice, Dawn's voice singing Ripley's name as she came towards his bedroom, a devious idea popped into his head.

"What the hell are you-!" Ripley yelped when Hikaru suddenly flipped over her, knees pressed to both sides of her waist, straddling her with his face nuzzling the crook her neck. When the door opened, Dawn poked her head in, grinning. "Hey Ripley, have you seen my- OH MY GOD!" The sight before her was not a pleasant one, more awkward than anything else.

"What do you think you're doing?" Ripley hissed in Hikaru's ear. "They're going to think we're-"

He chuckled, hot breath fanning across her jaw. "And that's exactly what I want them to think, so just play along."

Behind them, Dawn's mind was about to explode with decisions: should she break them apart or let them be? Dawn took a step forward, but the thought of getting close to _them _when they're doing _that _was disgusting. Instead, she went with option C: scream like crazy and let everyone else know that Hikaru and Ripley were making out and breaking a rule that the Roomies set for them and expected them to follow. Dawn ran from the room, but she ran straight into Kaoru, who had just arrived and wanted to tell his brother that he was back.

"Hey, is Hikaru in there?"

"Y-yeah, and he's...he's...BLEH!" Dawn exclaimed, her expression twisting into one of disgust.

"Is _Ripley _in there?" Kaoru questioned, his eyebrows lifting and lips stretching into a playful smirk. His arm slithered around Dawn's shoulders, leaning in close. "Are they doing what I _think _they're doing?"

"Making out?" Dawn's squeaked, her voice a high pitch. Her eyes were glued to the arm wrapped around her shoulders, the arm connected to a very attractive man, who just so happened to have an equally attractive twin.

"So, my dear brother couldn't keep his hands off her, eh? Come on, let's go break them up." Kaoru said, grabbing Dawn's hand and pulling her towards Hikaru's bedroom, despite the red-faced woman's protests. When Kaoru jumped into the room, he was met with disappointment when his eyes rested on Hikaru laughing hysterically and Ripley sitting there with her face a beet red, giving short, little laughs, most likely caused by Hikaru's hysteria rather than what happened. Dawn couldn't focus on anything but her hand in Kaoru's, her cheeks getting redder by the second. "I heard you guys were doing some pretty heated activities in here." Kaoru said.

"We didn't actually do anything." Hikaru replied between laughs. "All I did was lay on her, which, you know..." Hikaru then wrapped his arm around Ripley's waist, resting his chin on her shoulder. "I did enjoy. Maybe I should do that again later?"

Ripley shoved him away, slipping off the bed. "Okay, that's enough!" she exclaimed, rubbing her hands against her thighs. "I've got a lifetime's worth of personal touch right there. Heh..." Ripley then gave a squeamish look and hurried out of the room, pushing past Kaoru and Dawn, who still had her hand in Kaoru's.

"Did you tell her that we're going dress shopping today?" Kaoru asked.

"Crap, I didn't. Knowing her, we'll have to tie her up and drag her out of the apartment."

Before they could stop her, Dawn rushed into the living room, excitedly announcing, "Guys, we're taking Ripley dress shopping!"

Hikaru and Kaoru winced when they heard Ripley yell, "Oh, _hell_ no! HIKARU!"

**...\~/...**

"This is so stupid." Ripley grumbled, arms crossed with her feet planted in the middle of the store.

"Quit your complaining, Ripley. Dress shopping's fun." MJ said, holding up a teal dress with sequin swirls patterned down the skirt. "Do you like this one?"

"No."

"Stop being so difficult."

"I'm not being difficult."

"Fuuuunnn," MJ teased, shaking the dress in front of her stubborn best friend.

"MJ, fun is sitting in front of a TV playing video games; fun is reading manga while listening to some epic battle music; fun is driving around the country roads at high speeds. Your definition of fun is, for lack of a better word, bleh!" Ripley stated, making a disgusted face, which MJ mimicked. At that moment, Kaoru walked up with a pudgy, suited salesman following him, who looked very pleased to have the world-renown Kaoru Hitachiin in his store. The brunette gamer eyed the armful of dresses that hung on Kaoru's arm, waiting to be tried on. Ripley scanned the rest of the store, seeing Dawn, Erika, and Renee looking through racks of clothes, and Hikaru was searching the displays. With a sigh, Ripley sat down in a chair that sat near the front of the store near the windows. This was terrible, not fun, but the twins said something about Amaranth and needing the proper Amaranth attire. Why the hell did she have to wear a dress, though? Why couldn't she wear a nice blouse and slacks?

"Ripley, what do you think of these?" Hikaru asked after approaching her, holding up two dresses. One was snow white with a shimmery tool fabric and the other was a forest green one-shoulder that would probably look better on a stick-figured girl than her. Ripley glared at them, then at him, shrugging her shoulders with a meek, "Meh."

"Stop being so difficult."

"Alright, _MJ_," the spectacled woman said. "You try it on and if it looks good on you, I'll decide whether I like it or not."

Hikaru gave her a pointed look, "Why are you so against dresses? They'd look good on you."

"You know, I'd take that as a compliment, but it's not true. All these dresses in here are made for size two women, not women with a lot of meat on their bones."

"MJ and Renee tried on dresses and they looked fine."

Ripley's brown eyes moved over the dresses, taking in every detail. "I'm not doing it."

Hikaru's face fell into a disappointed one, peeved at her response. "Fine. If you don't want to go on a nice date with me tonight, then so be it."

"Fine!"

"Fine!"

Hikaru stomped away, throwing the dresses onto a random rack- the same rack MJ was looking through. She smirked at Hikaru, saying, "Did you get through to her?"

"No, she's being a brat."

"Two peas in a pod, I guess." He knew she was referring to him when she said that, doing so in a snide manner. He was not in the mood to be tormented today, especially when his girlfriend was refusing to dress up. He'd known the little fact of Ripley hating shopping ever since they started talking on Red Hue, but he never knew it would be so hard to get to cooperate. They'd been to three other stores, all with top-notch, designer dresses, but his Red Hue soul mate turned away from every single piece of clothing they shoved in her direction. Hikaru stole a glance in Ripley's direction, the woman's head held back, looking as if she was trying to sleep. Probably was, considering she had been woken up early, but she was most likely bored more than anything else. Maybe going to dinner at a fancy restaurant wasn't her thing... He never really did ask her what her ideal date was. A date Ripley would like...? A home-cooked meal while watching rented movies seemed more her style, but she was in New York City of all places. They needed to go on NYC-styled dates.

"Bribe her." MJ suggested.

"What?"

"Bribe her," MJ repeated, never looking up from the rack. "Coax her with a video game or something. That'll get her to do it."

"Okay..." Hikaru said hesitantly. "If you say- Hey, where did she go?"

Out of nowhere, the sound of clapping began to fill the store, capturing the attention of both Hikaru and MJ. They could see a crowd forming around the dressing rooms, and Kaoru looked back at them, beckoning them to come over. "Guys, you have to see this!" Hikaru and MJ exchanged glances before walking over to the dressing rooms, taking in the scene that everyone was clapping about. There in the door of the dressing room was Ripley, looking pissed. She was dressed in a knee-length purple gown, a layer of purple lace scaling the entire dress, also forming the sleeves. It flattered her curves and made her look modest, not much skin showing. Kaoru nudged Hikaru with his elbow, "Doesn't she look nice? The dress was designed by a friend of mine, Vance McMoore. He specializes in plus-sized clothing." Kaoru's words were wasted though when Hikaru stepped forward, grinning.

"You look great, Ripley." Hikaru complimented.

Ripley continued to look miffed, crossing her arms. "Okay, you saw me in a dress. Happy now?" She was still annoyed.

"Most definitely." he said.

"...I'm going to go change now." And she turned on her heel, hurrying back into the dressing rooms, leaving everyone to talk amongst themselves.

"You look amazing..." Hikaru whispered. If only she could see it, too.

**...\~/...**

Ripley clutched Hikaru's arm tightly, feeling very out of place inside Amaranth, surrounded by well-off folks, who probably dined at the restaurant regularly. The place smelled amazing, a grill in the distance lighting up with fire, the chef performing tricks for the customers. The men were talking to one another, dressed in tailored three-piece suits, and the women were clothed in designer cocktail dresses, shawls elegantly draped over their bony shoulders. Even though she was dressed in an expensive gown as well, Ripley still felt like a freak compared to the high-class customers. The brunette stole a glance up at Hikaru; he looked perfectly relaxed, used to the company of people who were high in status.

Hikaru noticed how nervous she was, leaning down to whisper in her ear. "Relax, you look amazing. Stop comparing yourself to them." And with that, he pressed his lips against her temple soothingly, breaking away when a waiter approached them, bowing politely.

"Welcome to Amar- Oh, it's you."

"You remember me? It's been a few months..."

It was the waiter that served him and the girls when Johnny and Syd came to dine at Amaranth. The waiter was still balding and still sported that tiny mustache over his lip and looked at Hikaru with a critical eye. He probably remembered how much trouble Hikaru caused that day in January.

"I _always _remember my bad customers." the waiter drawled, but Hikaru could only smirk. The waiter tucked two menus under his arm, signaling them to follow him by waggling two fingers. Hikaru guided Ripley through the restaurant, keeping up with the waiter's quick strides. Finally, they reached a two-person table by the windows, looking out at New York City's Times Square. Ripley, for a moment, forgot that she was a customer in a very prestigious restaurant, and pressed her body against the window, gawking at the neon signs and lit up billboards. Seeing one of New York's most famous of landmarks in person was a lot cooler in person than seeing it in pictures. She felt a pair of arms circle around her waist, Hikaru chuckling in her ear. "People are staring, love."

"Oh, sorry..." Ripley muttered, backing away from the windows, which caused her to lean into him.

"No need to apologize. I think it's cute."

Hikaru pulled her chair out, gesturing for her to sit down. Ripley curtsied playfully, flattening the skirt of her dress to her legs as she sat down so it wouldn't creep up. Hikaru sat himself across from her, picking up one of the menus. His date took one hesitantly, opening it up to skim through the choices. Everything on the menu was worded fancily, most of the food names foreign and hard to read, and even the descriptions of the dishes were complicated to understand. Ripley eyed Hikaru, who was reading over the food categories with ease and thoughtfulness. She let out a sigh, folding her menu, setting it aside. It was the little things like this that reminded her that she and Hikaru came from two different worlds - the poor and the wealthy. He was used to dressing up and eating out at five-star restaurants while her family considered places like Red Lobster as high-class. The Hitachiins probably had vacation homes all over the world, visiting foreign cities without a second thought, while her family could never afford to leave the U.S. and only travelled to states that they had family they could stay with.

Ripley was so deep in thought that she didn't notice Hikaru staring at her, his head cradled in his hand. "What are you thinking about?" he asked thoughtfully.

"Huh...what? Sorry, I was-"

"Zoning out?" He finished her sentence with a smile. "I asked what you were thinking about."

"Oh, um...what to order. I don't even know what any of this stuff is..."

"Want me to order for you?"

"Yeah..."

"Something with seafood?"

Ripley nodded. She watched Hikaru signal for their waiter, the stern-faced man walking over to take their orders. The woman's eyes scanned the restaurant, taking in her surrounding. A group of four, most likely a double date, laughed loudly at something one of the men said. A family sat behind them at the next table, the mother looking as if she thought the universe centered around her, the woman's daughter giving off similar airs, eyes connecting with Ripley's. They held each other's stares for a moment before looking away. Ripley had to wonder if the girl knew that she wasn't of wealthy descent. Did the rich have the ability to pick out the peasants among the high-class?

"I was also thinking about how different you and I are." Ripley added, folding her hands in her lap. She felt like that was a dainty thing to do. Hikaru's tilt of the head caused her to continue. "Well, I was just thinking about how used you are to places like these, while my family would have to sell an arm and a leg to sit in one of these chairs. But at the same time, you hardly know anything about the...what'd you call it...commoner world? I just...think it's funny...sort of."

Hikaru was quiet for a moment, just staring at the woman across from him. He always found her thought process amusing, and always looked forward to hearing what she had to say. She looked so nervous, acted like she was so out of place. The spectacled woman squirmed uncomfortably in her seat, fidgeting with her hands, almost as if she didn't know what to do with them. He shook his head slowly, knowing that she was comparing herself to the other women in the restaurant. Ripley was truly beautiful tonight, he just wished she would believe it. He had to wonder if maybe his 'I don't like the way you look' comment the few weeks before damaged her self-esteem... Shit, why did he have to wonder? Of course it did. But what he truly wondered if she would ever believe him when he called her beautiful in the future. He sure hoped she would.

"I've had a little practice in understanding the commoner world, thanks to Haruhi." Hikaru finally said. "Hopefully I'll be able understand the commoner's way of life better as I date you."

"Of course you will," Ripley replied. Then, she smirked, "Don't worry, Hikaru, you'll never have to ask stupid questions about our world ever again after I'm done with you."

Hikaru stuck out his tongue, pulling his bottom eyelid down. Ripley flipped him the bird in return and said, "You know, that look suits you. No, no, don't stop. You looked intelligent for once."

They went quiet when the waiter gave them their drinks- Hikaru a glass of wine and Ripley a cherry coke. Hikaru swished the alcohol around in the glass before taking a drink, the sweet essence hitting his tongue. Ripley stared at him as he set his glass down, her mind thinking back to the time when Kaoru visited her after Hikaru left her alone in the city, saying how Hikaru had returned to his apartment in a drunken mess. He caught her stare and gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I'm not going to drink that much." Ripley nodded slowly, shifting her eyes away from him. She told herself that she'd knock him upside the head if he ordered more than two drinks tonight.

The waiter returned shortly after, informing them that their food would be out in about twenty minutes.

"Um, where's the restroom?" Ripley asked.

"It's down the hall, to the... Actually, follow me and I'll show you."

Ripley nodded, standing up to follow him, but she paused for a moment. Very quickly, she gave Hikaru a chaste kiss to the cheek, straightening with a weird look on her face. It was obvious that she was new to the whole relationship thing. "I'll be back in a minute." she said. What she did next was very Ripley-like, however: a hard pat on the back that made him choke on his wine, spitting out when her hand made contact. Ripley snorted and smirked, walking away laughing.

**...\~/...**

"They seem to be enjoying themselves." Kaoru said, peeking at the new couple from over his menu. "You don't think he'll say something stupid, right?"

"Knowing him, maybe. Knowing Ripley, she doesn't do anything that'll cause him to say something stupid, so tonight should go smoothly." Tara replied, scanning over her menu. "Shit, it's been a long time since I've eaten out. Feels weird having other people make my food... Hope they don't fuck it up."

"Tara, they're trained professionals. They had to go through the same training you did, so I'm pretty sure they'll do just fine." Kaoru said. "So you really think they'll do alright?"

"Hikaru and Ripley will be fine. Those dumbasses on the other hand-" Tara pointed at Ripley's roommates without looking up from her menu. "-I'm pretty sure they'll interfere somehow."

Kaoru looked from Tara to the Roomies to his brother, who was playing with his silverware as he sat at the table alone. For a moment, Kaoru's heart ached, the sight of his brother alone reminded him of the six agonizing years of Hikaru living by himself, facing the hardships life threw his way and being in pain for so long. Kaoru had noticed that Hikaru started improving after meeting Ripley, so hopefully she would bring back the old Hikaru, the one that loved to be around people and have fun.

"That little man-whore, he's chatting up another woman!" one of the Roomies hissed. He wished they wouldn't call Hikaru such harsh names.

Kaoru looked towards his brother once more, noticing that Hikaru was indeed talking to another woman.

**...\~/...**

He hoped that Ripley would get back soon.

He was already getting bored.

"Hikaru...? Oh my God, Hikaru! It's so good to see you again!" a cheerful voice exclaimed. Before he could turn to see who called out his name, he was engulfed in a bone-crushing hug. Hikaru turned his head to gasp for air, the person oblivious to the fact that she was suffocating him. The voice continued, "Hikaru, you're looking great! Better than you did when I saw you last time at the bar! Though you still are a bit skinny, but you don't look so tired anymore! Oh my gosh, am I intruding on a date or something? Or are you here alone? I just can't believe you're here!" Finally, the hugger pulled back, allowing Hikaru to get a good look at his friendly attacker. His eyes grew wide when he saw who it was.

"Deana...?"

The woman, his ex-girlfriend, nodded enthusiastically, her dark red curls bouncing. Hikaru stood up, this time going in for a hug, which Deana accepted gratefully. Unlike their first reunion at the bar in January, this hug wasn't awkward. Maybe he had gotten over the fact that she left him without informing him without knowing. She looked great, dressed in a red knee-length gown that was decorated with sparkles, top to bottom. It matched her hair perfectly, lips painted a darker shade of red. But the one thing that was different about her was her stomach, which bulged out in a perfect curve. Deana noticed his staring and smiled, teeth showing.

"You can ask, I don't mind." Deana said.

"Are you pregnant?" Hikaru asked quietly.

Deana nodded, "I'm about two and a half months in. It's a girl."

"Wow, I just...I just...can't believe you're going to be a mother... Congrats! Is your husband here?"

"No, he's working late tonight. I'm here with some friends of mine. You?"

For some reason, Hikaru felt his heart begin to race. Just the thought of finally being able to call Ripley his girlfriend made him happy. "I'm here with my girlfriend. It's her second time in the city and I wanted to introduce her to Amaranth."

Deana's eyes got wide, lips forming a perfect O. "You're here...with your girlfriend?" When Hikaru nodded, she smiled warmly. "That's...awesome. I'm so happy you found someone. Is it that woman you talked about before?"

"Ripley? Yeah... We've been dating for a couple weeks now. I've known her for a full nine months."

"Do you love her?"

"Deana, I can't even begin to describe how much I do."

The woman laughed, but she stopped when a curious voice went, "Hikaru...?"

They both turned to see Ripley standing there, fiddling with her fingers nervously. The dark-haired twin grabbed Ripley's hand, pulling her close to him, his arm around her shoulders. "Deana, this is Ripley, my girlfriend. Ripley, this is Deana, she's an old friend of mine." He didn't want to say ex-girlfriend because he knew she'd probably feel insecure. Hikaru backed away when Deana wrapped her arms around Ripley's neck, pulling her into a hug. He watched the red-haired woman whisper something into the brunette's ear, then pull back and smile, patting Ripley's shoulder gently. Deana turned to Hikaru. "Well, I'll leave you two to your date. It was nice seeing you again, Hikaru." His ex-girlfriend touched Ripley's arm, "And it was nice meeting you, too. You look beautiful in that dress, by the way." And the pregnant woman tottered off, hands settled on her stomach. Hikaru watched her leave until she turned around the corner, disappearing into the other section of the restaurant.

"Was that...an ex-girlfriend?" Ripley questioned quietly.

Hikaru sighed, grasping her shoulders. "Yeah, it was, but as you can tell it didn't work out. Our break-up was rather...messy."

"What happened?" But before he could answer, Ripley added hurriedly. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

"I thought we've already been over this before. I'll answer any question you have for me." They sat down, Hikaru immediately picking up his fork to fiddle with it. "Deana and I...um...maybe I should... Well, basically, I dated her to get my mind off of Haruhi, to fill the void that she left, and after awhile Deana caught on. One day, I came back from classes and all her things were gone, just a note telling me that she was moving back to her parents' place. I called her, texted her, e-mailed her, everything, but I never got an answer. It was about six months when I got a postcard from Bali, saying that she had gotten married and was on their honeymoon."

"Why did she have to send you that postcard? Didn't she even think that maybe it would've made you feel worse?" Ripley asked. He noticed how tightly she gripped her drink between her hands.

Hikaru shrugged, "I don't know. Maybe she was telling me that I didn't have to worry about her, I don't know. It just...kind of made me feel like a failure."

All he could hear was Ripley grumbling, which he smiled at, but he caught her gaze when she looked over at him.

"Since you said that I could ask you anything, I need to ask you something serious." Ripley said.

"Yeah?"

"I'm not...I'm not filling the void, right? I'm not just a substitute for Haruhi, right?"

"What? No! You're not a substitute!" He grabbed her hand, leaning forward in his seat. "I told you I don't love her like that anymore. How could you think that?"

"Well," Ripley's eyes were glued to her hand in his. "You said that Deana filled the void Haruhi left behind, so how would I be any different? I just... You know what, never mind. It was a stupid question."

"You're different because you stood beside me, even when I told you that I was in love with another woman. No woman had ever done that for me before. I needed that and you fulfilled it, especially when everyone was beginning to give up on me." Hikaru answered, despite Ripley telling him to forget it. "You're not here with me because I want someone to fill Haruhi's place; I'm with you because I love you and I want you in my life." He released her hand after he squeezed it. "So don't ever question why you're here again, okay? We're together because we love each other, not because I'm looking for a replacement."

Ripley gave a small smile, making room for her plate of food when the waiter came to their table, balancing a tray on his hand.

"Sir, I forgot to mention this, but Amaranth now has a dancing hall. If you're interested, just wave for a waiter and they'll show you to it." With a nod, the waiter added, "Enjoy your food."

**...\~/...**

_Let me tell you 'bout a girl I know._

_She is my baby and she live next next door._

_Ev'ry mornin' till the sun comes up, she brings me coffee in my favorite cup._

_That's why I know, yes I know!_

_Hallelujah, I just love her so!_

"I know this song." Ripley whispered to Hikaru as he guided her to the dance floor. There were a dozen other couples wrapped in each others' arms, swaying to the music. She felt awkward when Hikaru whipped around to face her, resting his hand on her waist, grabbing her other hand. Remembering how everyone else did it in high school, Ripley placed her free hand on his shoulder, eyes flicking around to check the other dancers to make sure she was doing it right. Hikaru chuckled, stepping closer to her. "You're okay; you're doing it right." It was quiet between them, only Ripley singing the song softly under her breath. He had to wonder if this was Ripley's first dance. Knowing how she was with men, she was probably too shy in high school to ask a guy to dance with her, which made him relieved. He liked the thought of having the privlege to be her first dance.

"Have you ever danced with someone before?" he asked. He just had to know.

"I slow-danced with Renee once. Does that count?"

"Uh, no. I meant with a guy."

"...I slow-danced with Renee once." she repeated.

Hikaru snorted, trying to contain his laughter, but he couldn't. He broke out into a fit of laughter, which caused Ripley to laugh too, earning the attention of everyone in the dancing hall. He didn't care, though, and it looked like Ripley didn't either. They still swayed as they laughed, the music playing overhead, Ray Charles' song 'Hallelujah, I Love Her So' fading out to another song, this time a slow tune. About half of the other dancing couples left the dance floor, leaving Hikaru and Ripley with about five or six other dancers. It was Aerosmith's 'I Don't Want To Miss A Thing' that started playing, a classic in Ripley's opinion. She couldn't help but notice the blush that spread across Hikaru's face when she leaned into him, resting her head on his chest, something she remembered all the girls in high school doing with their boyfriends.

_I could stay awake just to hear you breathing._

_Watch you smile while you are sleeping. _

_While you're far away and dreaming._

_I could spend my life in this sweet surrender._

_I could stay lost in this moment forever._

_Where every moment spent with you is a moment I treasure._

"You really do look gorgeous tonight, love." Hikaru whispered into her ear. "Do you think you do?"

Ripley was quiet for a moment. "Well...mmm...I don't know. I guess?"

"You don't, do you?"

"No..." Ripley said with a sigh. "I always feel so weird dressed up and I just...I feel like I don't look right."

"Well, I think you do." Hikaru replied in a soft voice.

"Do you mean it?" Ripley asked, tilting her head up to meet his gaze.

"Yes, I do."

_Don't want to close my eyes._

_I don't want to fall asleep 'cause I'd miss you, baby._

_And I don't want to miss a thing. _

_'Cause even when I dream of you._

_The sweetest dream will never do._

_I'd still miss you, baby. _

_And I don't want to miss a thing. _

"Can this be our song? I like this song..." Hikaru said.

"This can be _your _song for us, but my song for us will always be 'Waste' by Foster the People." Ripley replied.

"We should do a mash-up for our wedding."

"Ooo, that would be a weird one. ...I kind of want to hear that now."

"Sorry to change the subject, but your friends are staring at us." Ripley pulled away a bit to look over her shoulder and what she saw made her scowl. She saw Dawn, Erika, and Renee wave excitedly, but MJ shook her head, shooting a death glare in Hikaru's direction. The couple stopped dancing when MJ started mouthing something, crossing her arms in an X. Ripley gave a confused look, trying to figure out what MJ was trying to tell them, but reading lips was never one of her stronger suits. She looked up at Hikaru, who was looking at the Roomies with a straight face. "Do you know what she's saying?"

No kissing, that's what MJ was telling him not to do.

"She's telling me not to do this."

And he kissed her.

Not a simple brush of the lips, but a full mouth-on-mouth kiss.

His hand cradled the back of her head, fingers tangling in her hair, his other hand still rested on her waist. Just like before, a feeling similar to electricity coursed through his entire body, but knowing that they weren't going to be interrupted this time made it ten times better. Though, one thing kept on running through his mind: what was Ripley thinking? While he was relishing in the feeling of finally stealing Ripley's first real kiss, something he had imagined himself doing, Ripley felt frozen under his touch, almost like she had been turned to stone the moment his lips crashed into hers. Hikaru pulled back reluctantly, already missing the feeling of his mouth on hers. His girlfriend's face was bright red, almost glowing, her expression surprised and eyes wide.

Hikaru arched an eyebrow. "Ripley...are you okay?" When she didn't respond, Hikaru called out her name again, but nothing.

What happened next was totally unexpected.

She fainted. Ripley freakin' fainted.

The woman's knee buckled and she crumpled to the floor, landing on her side with a loud thud. Hikaru's jaw dropped, immediately dropping to his knees, pulling Ripley's limp body into his arms. "Oh my God, Ripley! What the hell?! Are you okay?! Come on, answer me! Ripley!" It wasn't two seconds before her roommates, Kaoru, and Tara rushed over, surrounding her. Waiters and waitresses alike, even customers, circled Hikaru and Ripley. "Hey, Ripley, wake up! Come on, wake up! Oh God...I killed her!" Hikaru shouted, throwing his arms up, Ripley's unconscious body falling to the ground again.

"You just dropped her again, you dumbass!" Tara yelled.

"I didn't mean to! I'm sorry!"

"You asshole, you killed my best friend!" MJ shouted.

"I'M SORRY! I DIDN'T MEAN TO!"

"Look, she's coming around!" Kaoru pointed out. Everyone stared at the spectacled woman with concern, but the majority of them couldn't help but smile when Ripley herself gave a goofy smile, her expression a dreamy one. She gave a small laugh, staring off into space.

"Heh, he kissed me. He really, really kissed me." Ripley mumbled.

"I think we should go back home, Hikaru." Kaoru suggested.

"Yeah. That'd be a good idea."

**...\~/...**

**October 10th, 9:23 A.M.:**

Ripley woke up to loud chatter out in the living room. She was still dressed in her Amaranth attire, noticing Hikaru's three-piece suit hanging on the back of his computer chair. A groan escaped her as she rubbed her head, fingers running through her tangled hair. After the kiss that Hikaru delivered, the night was a blur, hoping that she hadn't ruined the rest of Hikaru's plans. Ripley slid her feet off the bed, kneeling on the floor to rummage through her bag. She pulled out a gray long-sleeved shirt, a black 'I Love NY' t-shirt, jeans, and socks. After she got dressed and pulled her long hair into its usual messy bun, Ripley hopped to the door whilst pulling on her tennis shoes.

But before she could leave, Ripley stopped when she heard voices outside the door: Hikaru and Kaoru's.

"Tara's...infertile...? But...how? That just isn't fair." Kaoru said quietly. "She always talked about having kids and...oh God..."

"I know. I thought the same thing. Did you see how tense it was when Kyoya came into the room? Tara wouldn't have anything to do with him."

Kyoya? Hikaru had mentioned something about the remaining Host Club members arriving in New York sometime in the week. Ripley wondered if it was just Kyoya that arrived.

"You don't think they'll break up, do you?" Kaoru asked, his voice almost a whimper.

Hikaru was quiet for a moment. "I don't know, Kaoru. I sure hope not."

The twins' conversation was interrupted when an overly cheerful, childish voice exclaimed, "Hika-chan, your goddaughter wants to see you!"

"Alright, Hunny-senpai, I'm coming!" Hikaru called out. Ripley could then hear him say to Kaoru, "Keep what I said to yourself, 'kay?"

"You know I will."

Ripley listened to someone's footsteps, probably Hikaru's, retreat into the living room. She went to open the door, but someone else opened it and she came face-to-face with Kaoru, who jumped when he saw her. Even though he gave her a bright smile, she could see the sadness, most likely from the news about Tara not being able to bear children. When Ripley didn't return the smile, Kaoru's true feelings came through, and his smile drooped into a frown. The red-haired twin stepped into the room, closing the door behind him. His hand remained on the doorknob, his golden eyes staring at his hand. "Did you hear us?" Kaoru asked. Ripley nodded, giving him a lopsided smile.

"He already told me, though."

"The others are here, so is Syd. I wonder if Tara's going to tell her about it."

"Are they close?"

"Pretty much. Syd really looks up to Tara." Kaoru sighed, running his fingers through his hair. "Lucky you that you didn't see Tara and Kyoya together earlier. It was so awkward. No one knew why either, but now it's just..." He trailed off, but added. "Did Hikaru tell you how Kyoya reacted to the news?" Another sigh came from the man when Ripley shook her head. "Seeing how tense they were, I assume that he didn't react in the right way."

"Probably..."

Kaoru look over at Ripley, taking in how shy she looked, diverting her attention from him and focusing on the window on the other side of the room. When his fingers brushed against her arm, he got her attention, smiling. "Hey, how are you feeling? You took a pretty nasty fall last night."

"Yeah, I'm fine. What Hikaru did caught me off guard, though."

He gave a small laugh, "Obviously. Oh, breakfast should be ready soon, by the way. I think Tara's making strawberry and chocolate crepes. Ever had them?"

"Nope!"

"Well, you're certainly in for a treat then."

**...\~/...**

"Goddamn it, what the hell is going on here?! I just...ARGH!" Tara yelled, throwing her spatula down on the counter. "I am done! I burnt every fuckin' one! I'm...ARGH!"

"Tara-senpai, please calm down. You're breaking things." Haruhi said calmly, holding her hands up defensively. "They're just a little burnt. No one's going to mind."

"Not going to mind? NOT GOING TO MIND?! I'm going to mind, damn it! I don't burn food, Haruhi, never! I am a _professional_! Burning food is not in my arsenal!"

"But it's alright to make mistakes sometimes, senpai. If you want, I can help. Maybe we can scrape the burnt stuff off."

"No, no, no..." Tara said, holding up her hand. "I don't need your help. I don't _want _your help. I just want my food to come out alright."

"And it will, if you calm down."

Tara got silent for a moment before she pointed at the door. "Out."

"But-"

"Get...out." Tara ordered curtly. Haruhi knew when to back down when Tara was involved, and it was obvious the blonde needed some time on her own. The doe-eyed brunette nodded, walking out the kitchen door, only to run into Ripley. Hikaru's girlfriend muttered an apology, but froze when she saw who she ran into. Haruhi gave a warm smile, backing away to give Ripley some room. "Oh, Ripley, it's nice to see you again. How are you?"

"Um...fine? Great. How are you?"

"Good, but I should warn you that Tara's on a rampage, so watch out if you're going in there."

"Oh, thanks. I _was _actually heading in there. I'll be careful."

Haruhi nodded and went off in Tamaki's direction, and before Ripley could take a step towards the kitchen, Hikaru slid in front of her, holding up a a hand.

"Now don't faint when I do this." he said cheekily, grinning.

"Wha-" Hikaru pressing his lips against hers caused her to stop talking, instead taking in the feeling of kissing her boyfriend in front of everyone. When he pulled away, Hikaru beaming, obviously proud of what he'd done, while Ripley was as stiff as a board. Since she wasn't much of a touchy-feely person, and hugs were something she rarely gave out, kissing was a level she thought she'd never arrive at. Especially when the man she was kissing was extremely handsome and someone she had thought was out of her league before Red Hue. The gamer girl let out a yelp when Hikaru collected her in his arms, spinning her around once before setting her down, his large, slender hands grasped her shoulders. "Morning, my little night owl!"

"You're in a good mood today." Ripley stated. Truth be told, seeing Hikaru in such a good mood made her smile and lifted her mood a bit. It must be the fact that everyone was together again and he got to see his goddaughter that set his day in the right direction. Remembering how he looked the first time they met, so tired with dark bags under his golden eyes, seeing him jovial was a nice change. Hikaru no longer had bags under his eyes, the golden orbs themselves full of life and practically shining was a much better look, in her opinion. She almost wanted to reach out and touch his cheek for some reason, but she kept her hands by her sides. Ripley watched Hikaru look over her when someone called out his name, Tamaki from the sounds of it, and he gave a quick kiss to the cheek before heading off in the direction of Tamaki. Ripley turned towards the others, giving a small smile. Renee and Erika sat on the couch with Reiko, cooing over the new twins, Kimiko and Hitoshi, while Hunny, Syd, and Mori stood near them. MJ and Dawn sat on the floor, talking with Kaoru, laughing. Tamaki, Hikaru, and Haruhi stood in a corner of the room, Tamaki holding up one of Hikaru's art pieces, gesticulating wildly with Haruhi's hands placed softly on his arms. And then there was Kyoya, leaning against the wall as he stared out the window. Ripley's eyes narrowed when she saw him; it was weird seeing him without Tara at his side. She hoped they would work things out soon.

"Fuck!" Ripley heard Tara shout from the kitchen.

The brunette entered the kitchen cautiously, peeking around the fridge. Tara faced the counters, face in her hands. Something smoked from the pan, the crepes being the first thing that came into Ripley's mind, and she stepped towards the blonde. Stretching her hand out, she tapped Tara on the shoulder. "Tara?" What she expected was for Tara to turn around in surprise, _not _to turn around and punch Ripley straight in the nose. Pain shot through her nose and up the bridge, Ripley yelping in pain as she clutched her face, bending forward slightly.

"Oh my God, I'm so sorry! I just-"

Ripley holding up a hand caused Tara to stop.

"But-" Ripley holding up her index finger silenced the blonde.

Ripley straightened, pulling her hand away. Blood. She brought her fingertips to the bottom of her nose, bringing them back into view to see the crimson color of blood coating the tips. Tara wetted a paper towel, turning the shorter woman towards her, gingerly wiping the blood off her face. Ripley noticed how Tara's vivid blue-green eyes were rimmed with red and puffy, looking as if she had been crying. Probably, considering everything that was going on in her life. She didn't even know Tara was capable of crying; the blonde always seemed so strong-willed and resilient to the obstacles that life threw at her. Ripley cringed when Tara hit a sore spot, flinching.

"I am _so _sorry. I'm just tense right now and... I'm just so sorry."

"It's fine. I've had worse happen to me." Ripley allowed her head to be tilted back. "Tara, do you want to talk about it? You seem like you need someone right now."

"Did Hikaru tell you?" Tara asked quietly. Ripley nodded. "How much?"

"Just that...you're infertile. I'm sorry, Tara."

The two sat at the island table, Ripley pressing the paper towel to her nose, Tara cradling her head in her hands. The blonde shook her head, "I know I can always adopt kids, which would be better than having my own in a way, but it was how Kyoya dealt with the issue that bothered me. He...he didn't even say anything, just let his father show him to another "suitable" woman. Kyoya didn't even look at me for the rest of night; nothing. You should've seen her, Ripley. You out of all people should understand where I'm coming from, having a boyfriend that's almost too good for you and then seeing them talk with someone that's more suitable for them. That woman was to me, like Haruhi was to you."

"Yeah, I can see where you're coming from."

"I love that man." Tara admitted with a shake of her head. "He's become such a big part of my life that just imagining him out of it is...frightening. Is that the right word? Frightening? Waking up with no Kyoya at my side would be like waking up to complete and utter darkness. Frightening..."

There had been a time, the time when Hikaru was struggling between his feelings for Haruhi, that Ripley had been truly worried that Hikaru would disappear from her life. Hearing him talk about Haruhi, seeing how happy the woman made him without even having to be there, scared Ripley just like how Tara was feeling now with the whole Kyoya situation. What if Haruhi had figured that she married the wrong man and went after Hikaru, leaving Ripley with no one? What if that happened and Hikaru had no longer felt the need to have her in his life, no need to call her everyday or talk to her through Red Hue? Frightened was the right word; frightened was the only word to describe the feelings Tara felt and the situation she was in.

"Yeah, frightening is a good word..."

"Did you feel that way when Hikaru told you about Haruhi?" Tara questioned softly.

Ripley nodded, "Definitely..."

"Why are you crying?" Tara asked, her voice cracking.

"Because you are." And Ripley slid off her stool, hurrying towards Tara, and the two held each other, crying on each other's shoulders. Hearing Tara's sobs made it hard for Ripley to keep her own tears back, the throbbing in her nose not making the situation any better. The brunette rocked the crying blonde gently back and forth, pulling her into a tighter hug. It was strange seeing such a headstrong woman break down like she had.

The kitchen door swung open, and laughing filled the room, "Hey, when's breakfast going to be ready?" came Hikaru's voice, but his footsteps stopped. Kaoru, who also entered the room, gasped when he saw the sight of the two women sobbing. The twins hurried towards them, Hikaru catering to Ripley while Kaoru tended to Tara, who had become nothing but a weeping mess. The dark-haired twin wrapped an arm around his girlfriend's shoulders, bringing her as close as possible. Cooing soothing words, rubbing her back, he did everything he could to calm her down, but the feeling of her shaking was worsening, and it wasn't until a couple minutes that Ripley was full-on sobbing, clutching to him. Hikaru looked over at Kaoru, who had a concerned, yet confused look in his eyes, wondering what had caused the two women to become so upset.

"Hikaru, Kaoru, you can leave." a cool voice said from the kitchen door. The twins looked up to see Kyoya standing there, staring straight at Tara, his eyes showing almost no emotion.

"But-" Kaoru started, but the sharp look Kyoya gave him caused him to go quiet.

"Come on, Ripley, we can go to my room." Hikaru said softly, pushing past Kyoya with Ripley in his arms. Kaoru followed quickly after them.

The last thing they heard Kyoya say was, "Tara, we need to talk."

**...\~/...**

"Haruhi, take a picture of me stomping on the Statue of Liberty!" Tamaki exclaimed, posing with his foot held up and his arms above his head, face twisted in mock rage. Haruhi gave a small smile, holding up her camera to take her husband's picture. The twins came up behind him and pushed Tamaki, causing him to stumble forward, laughing when Tamaki whipped around a started shouting at them. Ripley stood to the side, wondering if this was what the Host Club was like when they were in high school. Maybe they were like this behind the scenes, when they didn't have any customers to tend to or flirt with. She kind of wished she'd been able to experience it, even if it was just once, when they were younger. Ripley looked over at her friends, watching them laugh at the scene before them. Unbeknownst to her, Haruhi approached her from the side.

"It's kind of nice seeing them like this." Haruhi said, taking in the scene fondly.

Ripley turned her head towards Haruhi quickly, then gazed out at the Host Club. Haruhi was probably thrilled to see her friends reunited like they were, especially Hikaru being the way he was right now.

"Kaoru used to tell me how bad Hikaru was, but he told me not to call because he wanted Hikaru to work up the courage to call me. I always thought it was a stupid idea, but Kaoru wanted his brother to deal with his own problems rather than having people fix them for him. We were so worried about him, and since he's so rash sometimes, that caused us to worry even more." Haruhi's expression turned solemn, her eyes casting downward. "I really regret listening to Kaoru; I should've called him or visited him or something. I kind of failed in the best friend department when I did that, didn't I?" It was posed as a question, but it seemed to be a question for herself instead of Ripley.

"He called you, didn't he?" Ripley asked. "He worked up the courage in the end, right?"

"Yeah, I guess he did..." Quiet fell on them for a moment. "It was you that day? When he called me? That was you that I heard."

"I told Hikaru to call you after he told me about you. He almost didn't, but I told him he had to. I was listening on the other end."

"Why did you do that? I mean, I understand why, but I want to hear you say it."

Ripley knew exactly what Haruhi wanted to hear. "Because I value Hikaru's happiness over mine, that's why."

The doe-eyed woman stared at her minute before smiling, "I'm glad he found someone like you. I really, really am. He deserves someone like you, and you deserve him, too."

Their conversation ended when Hikaru ran up to them, grabbing Ripley's hand, interwining his fingers with hers. "Ready to go to the Statue of Liberty?" he questioned, grinning.

Ripley's jaw dropped and asked excitedly, "You mean, inside it? Literally?!" When he nodded, a grin spread across the woman's face, and she pointed towards the statue itself. "Onwards!"

**...\~/...**

"Oh my gosh, we actually saw him! We saw Spider-man! It was the same exact one as the one in the picture you sent me!" Ripley exclaimed, a foam Statue of Liberty crown set crooked on her head. Tamaki had the same exact crown, and he got one for Haruhi, but she refused to wear it. Of course, each of the Roomies got one as well, since they wanted to match, but seeing Ripley be the enthusiastic tourist that New York City always attracted, it made him smile. But that smile faded when they heard a yell and a crash coming from near his apartment, a door slamming afterwards, and Kyoya hurrying down the steps. The group stopped in their tracks, watching as Kyoya passed them, a flaming red handprint splayed across his cheek.

"Wait, Kyoya, where are you-?" Tamaki started, but hurried footsteps interrupted him.

"Yeah, leave, you fuckin' coward!" an enraged Tara screamed, leaning over the railing, sneering when she saw the black-haired man disappear from her sights. "I hate you, you rotten bastard! Go suck your dad's dick, for all I care, you submissive little shit!"

"Tara, calm down. Control your temper." Tamaki instructed gently, holding his hands out as if to brace himself for any possible attacks. Knowing Tara, she would probably go after him with fists up, just looking for something to let her anger out on. All she did at the moment was snarl viciously when Tamaki added, "You just said things you'll probably regret later."

"Regret? _Regret_?" Tara said with a stressed laugh, pointing towards nothing. "That _bastard _threw me away the moment we found out I couldn't bear him an heir and-" Tara stopped immediately, her face losing all color when she slipped about the news. Tamaki's face went blank, but realization hit when he figured out what she meant. "You mean...?" he started to say, but the blonde woman turned on her heel and marched back into the apartment.

Hikaru shook his head, letting go of Ripley's hand, and hurried down the stairs.

No one had to ask where he was going.

He wasn't about to let the two people that stuck with him longer than anyone else fall apart like this.

**...\~/...**

"Kyoya-senpai, wait!" But the ex-vice president made no signs of stopping. "Damn it, Kyoya, STOP!"

He finally did, moving his jacket out of the way so he could settle his hands on his hips. Hikaru slowed down to a stop, too, approaching Kyoya's front.

"What the hell happened?!" Hikaru asked, his voice louder than he meant it to be.

"A fight happened, isn't it obvious?" Kyoya replied. The older twin could tell that his senpai was fighting to keep his voice level. He could literally see the bottle Kyoya kept his emotions in about to burst. Hikaru actually wanted to see that; he wanted to know that Kyoya wasn't treating his situation as if it was dust on his shoulder.

"Your father is the cause of this, isn't he?"

"_Don't_," Kyoya emphasized, pointing at Hikaru. "_Blame this on my father._ Don't speak ill of him, Hikaru."

"But he _is _the cause of this. Bringing up Tara's infertility like that, rubbing it in her face. Did she even know about it until he said something?"

Kyoya said quietly, "No."

"And then he started introducing you to other women and you complied, didn't you?" Hikaru said, a hint of disgust laced in his voice.

"Don't chastise me when you did the same exact thing, Hikaru." Kyoya knew he hit Hikaru below the belt when the dark-haired twin's face went straight. "Casting Miss Barrett aside when you found out what she truly look liked? Flirted with other women who weren't flawed? Don't act like I'm disgusting person when you yourself did the same thing."

"But I fixed things, didn't I? Are you? Or are you going to find another woman just because daddy dearest doesn't like the one you have now?"

"I'm not a cold-hearted monster like everyone makes me out to be." Kyoya snapped. He was about to snap himself.

"Then answer my question, or are you afraid of what you might say?"

The spectacled man went quiet, almost too quiet, so eerily silent that Hikaru could feel goosebumps rise on his arms. He hated the silence Kyoya was giving, which meant that he hit him below the belt as well. Hikaru hoped, almost on a desperate level even, that Kyoya would give an answer that he wanted, an answer that told him that everything was going to be okay between he and Tara. That they were going to continue being in a relationship and add on to the five years they had behind them. Hikaru wanted the casual bickering between them to keep going, he wanted the close relationship the two had to not stop, he wanted everything to be normal.

"Well?" Hikaru urged, raising an eyebrow.

"I..." Kyoya put a hand to his mouth when his voice cracked. "I...don't want to talk about it. Not right now. I have a lot to think about."

**...\~/...**

When Hikaru got back to his apartment, Ripley was sitting outside the door, legs stretched out, head tilted back, and hands clasped over her stomach. He prodded her foot, causing the woman to loll her head forward and stare at him.

"Hey..." he greeted softly.

"How did it go?" she asked, her voice just as soft as his.

Hikaru sighed as he pressed his back to the wall, sliding down so that he was sitting on the floor beside Ripley. "There was nothing I could do. I guess it's just up to Kyoya and Tara to fix things…if they can." Just the thought of those two not being able to make it made him feel defeated in his own way. "Those two were there for me all those years. I always thought it would be Kaoru that was there all the time, but he was too busy making a name for himself while I sat around being depressed. I always wanted a relationship like them, one where it's a friendship, but everybody can tell that that I'm in love with my significant other, too." Hikaru looked over at Ripley. "Do you think we have a relationship like that?"

"Of course, we spent the last nine months getting to know each other, right?"

"Yeah, we did…" Hikaru said with a smile. "By the way, how's Tara?"

"She went to her dad's when you left. I think being with him is the best thing to do right now."

"He can probably understand better than anyone, being divorced and all."

"So can you. You've had a couple break-ups."

"I guess I _can_ relate, but still. They're perfect for each other. I love listening to them bicker."

"When they would play on the Xbox, they would argue. It was hilarious!"

Hikaru started to laugh. "I remember when they first met each other. Kyoya, he was so polite to her. 'My name is Kyoya Ootori and-' and she just interrupted him by calling him a bastard! At the time, we all thought she was a bitch, but now I can't listen to her without laughing." He stopped laughing, bringing his knees up to his chest, wrapping his arms around them. "_If _they were to break up, I just hope Tara would continue to be part of our lives. She's become such a huge part of it that it would be weird not having her there."

"I'm sure everything will be alright between them. Every couple has their spats."

"So you don't think they'll split?"

"I don't think they will. You said Kyoya has his surprising 'he-actually-cares-about-his-friends moments', right? How is Tara, his girlfriend, any different?"

"I hope you're right. If you aren't, I'll punish you." Hikaru said cheekily, giving a grin.

"Ew! Gross! Don't kiss me, you pervert!" Ripley laughed, pushing off a kissy-faced Hikaru. When the door opened to his apartment, they broke apart, looking up at the person that was about to come out.

It was Haruhi. "Hey, guys, I made lunch. Come get some."

Hikaru and Ripley exchanged glances when Haruhi left.

"What if she saw that?" Ripley whispered.

"That would've been _really _awkward…" Hikaru replied, smirking.

**…\~/…**

The remaining Host Club members left for their hotel rooms, and Hikaru planned to cuddle up with Ripley in his room and watch a movie, but the Roomies had other plans. Two words: Electric Crimson. The Electric Crimson was one of New York City's best night clubs, a place where eligible, young bachelors and bachelorettes went to look for a good time and hopefully go home with someone. Angela, one of Nathan's workers, said that she had gone there a few times, and had been hit on by perverted, old men, looking for someone to warm their bed. Hikaru had no idea why the Roomies wanted to go there, but he was forced to go.

"Come on, dance!" MJ shouted over the music, nudging him roughly with her elbow.

Hikaru grimaced, tapping the counter with two fingers, catching the drink that the bartender sent his way. He didn't want to be here, he wanted to be back in his apartment. Clubs had never been his thing; too many people wanting a false relationship and too many people being fake. He wanted Ripley to come, but she was allowed to stay behind after arguing with MJ for at least twenty minutes. Why couldn't he get any slack?

"We're in a club and you're just going to sit there and mope?! Come on, dance with us!" MJ grabbed his arm, but he yanked it back, taking a gulp of his scotch. No matter how disgusting alcohol was, he still enjoyed the warm buzz it delivered. Mid-drink, however, he remembered how bad he'd gotten a couple weeks before, stumbling into his apartment and insulting whoever he set his eyes on. Suddenly, that warm buzz no longer seemed desirable.

"Fine, I'll dance. Only for a song, though!" Hikaru yelled over the deafening bass. As he walked to the middle of the crowd, he could feel vibrations course throughout his entire body, and he could smell the heavy perfume women laid on to seem attractive. Men and women alike sweated profusely from the bright lights shining down on them, colored lasers sliding over everyone and blinding him. The memory of the photo shoot from Valentine's Day flashed through his mind, making him sick to his stomach. Hikaru hated this place and wanted out. He wanted to be wrapped up in Ripley's warm embrace, instead.

Hikaru stood awkwardly on the dance floor, rubbing the back of his neck uncomfortably. The Roomies seemed to do it naturally, raising their arms above their heads, shaking from side to side. This was not the type of dancing he was used to; the disgusting dancing he saw all around him was nothing like the smooth waltz he'd been taught to do. At least what the Roomies were doing was clean. Complete strangers were grabbing each other and grinding against one another, like they had known each other all their lives. Hikaru froze when a rather attractive blonde came up to him and immediately attached herself to him. He pushed her away roughly, walking closer to the Roomies.

"You're new to this, aren't you?!" Erika asked, she and Dawn dancing together.

"We didn't dance like this in Ouran!" he said back loudly, gesturing towards the dancers.

"Just feel the beat! You can do it!" she shouted. "I bet if Ripley were here, you'd dance!"

"I want her here!"

"We know! We do, too!"

After a couple seconds, Hikaru pointed towards the bar. "I'm going to go sit down!"

"No! Dance with us!" Dawn protested.

All he did was shake his head, pushing through sweaty dancers, and finally reached the bar, plopping himself down on one of the stools. This time he ordered a coke. No more alcohol for him. He didn't want to overdo it and have the Roomies drag him back home, forcing him to confront a disappointed Ripley smelling of alcohol and with fewer brain cells than he left with. Hikaru sighed, playing with his bangs.

"Why'd you quit dancing?!" a voice asked beside him.

Hikaru looked over, seeing MJ slide onto one of the stools, and order a cup of water. Sweat collected at her brow, also dotting her skin. He had to wonder how many times the Roomies had gone out dancing like this and how many times Ripley had joined them. Large crowds of people made his girlfriend nervous, so he assumed zero. Hikaru looked over his shoulder to see Erika, Dawn, and Renee dancing within the crowd. He wondered how long they'd be out there until they came for a drink.

"I don't like clubs! That's why!" Hikaru answered, sipping out his coke. He shoved it away when he tasted the rum in it. What? Couldn't order a coke without rum anymore?

"You have to get used to them!"

"I'd rather not! Too many people!"

"You're starting to sound like Ripley!"

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?!"

MJ went quiet when someone tapped Hikaru's shoulder. He turned to see the blonde from earlier, the woman that tried to dance with him, but he shoved off. Her face was done up with make-up quite nicely, her clothes revealing, and she was standing in an angle that gave him a perfect view of her cleavage. Hikaru turned his head away, refusing to look at her. The dark-haired man felt the woman's fingers toy with his hair, nails occasionally brushing against the back of his neck.

"Hey, why'd you shove me away before?!" she asked. Her voice was smooth, seductive; just like his when he wanted it to be.

"Obviously because I wasn't interested!" he replied.

"Come on, don't be like that! There must be _something_ about me you find interesting!"

"I have a girlfriend!"

"Ditch her for the night!"

"Go piss up a rope!" he hissed, shrugging off the hand that she settled on his shoulder.

"Come on, baby. Just you and me, in the alley, if you aren't interested in going home with me!"

Hikaru grabbed the hand the woman used to stroke his face, squeezing it hard. The woman pulled her hand out of his, clutching it like he pained her. That's when he leaned in and said coolly, "I don't screw around with hookers." And smirked as he leaned back, staring at her dumbstruck expression.

That's when she slapped him, nails digging into his left cheek. Pain seared up the side of his face and he clutched at his cheek gingerly, wincing when his cheek started to throb. Why was it that women with sharp claws always had to hit him? Hikaru turned in his seat, bringing his cold coke to his face. The coldness relieved the pain a bit.

"Oh my gosh, are you okay?!" MJ asked, holding out her hands, but not quite knowing what to do with them.

Hikaru looked at her, setting the drink down so he could cup his hand over the wound. "I'm going back to the apartment! Do you know how to get there?!" When she nodded, Hikaru climbed off the stool, walking through the crowd. He caught a glimpse of the woman from before grinding with a muscular man who was drunk off his ass, acting like nothing had happened. He shook his head, trudging out of the club with a swollen cheek.

The Electric Crimson was the worst place _ever_.

**…\~/…**

Since his apartment building sat on the corner of one of the busiest streets, street musicians tended to make camp at the spot, playing to their hearts content and collecting tips from passersby. This particular band consisted of a guitarist, saxophonist, drummer, bassist, and keyboardist, playing as loud as they could for the group they had attracted. Hikaru smiled when he saw Ripley sitting on the steps of his apartment building, looking so sweet bundled up in one of his coats. Tonight, a cold front had come through, chilling the city just enough to where peoples' breath came out in visible puffs. Hikaru was hunched over, hands shoved deep in his pockets when he approached his Red Hue lover, sitting on the step beside her.

"These guys sound exactly like the Dave Matthews Band! Ever heard of them?" Ripley asked, pointing at the band. When Hikaru shook his head, Ripley added, "Look them up sometime. They're amazing." She grinned. "And that saxophonist is awesome! Look at him!"

"Didn't you say you played the saxophone in high school?"

"Yep, and I still do sometimes. Mark invited me to play in his band sometimes."

Hikaru must've turned his head just the right angle because Ripley gasped, turning his head towards her. "What happened?! How did you get this?!"

"This woman slapped me." The raise of Ripley's eyebrow caused him to continue. "Well, she was hitting on me, and even though I told her that I had a girlfriend and that I wasn't interested, she still insisted that we…well…you get the picture."

"So, she slapped you because you rejected her?" He could hear the relief in her voice, or was that happiness?

"No, I think she slapped me because I told her that I didn't screw around with hookers. Totally not my type of woman." Hikaru said, grinning slightly, trying his best to ignore the throbbing in his cheek.

Suddenly, he felt Ripley's lips press against his, pulling away after a couple of seconds. "Did that make the pain go away?" she asked, her cheeks turning redder than they were. The bitter wind had already made them red.

A blush of his own started forming, but he shrugged casually. "Kind of… I can still feel the pain. Maybe one more time?" And she did just that, she kissed him one more time. This time, however, he allowed his hand to slip behind her neck, insuring that she wouldn't pull away as quick. He had to wonder if her heart was racing just as fast as his was, or if she were becoming breathless just like him. God, this was amazing. When he first met her on Red Hue, he never imagined himself sitting on the front step with her, kissing her like he was. When they pulled back, he grinned. "Miss Barrett, the pain's still not gone." And he kissed her again, not caring if she wanted to or not.

Nope, she wanted to.

**…\~/…**

**October 11th, 5:53 P.M.:**

The day had been mostly uneventful when it came to drama. Hikaru, Ripley, the Roomies, and the Host Club, minus Kyoya and Tara, toured the city more. They explored museums, went to a Broadway musical that Hikaru had gotten tickets to ahead of time, ate at a five-star Italian restaurant that MJ had read about on the internet, and gift-shopped. Hikaru enjoyed being able to spend time with everyone without any drama, but Kyoya and Tara's absence seemed to be present in everyone's minds and hard to ignore sometimes.

Kyoya and Tara were still apart and still not speaking to each other. Tamaki tried calling Kyoya to try and get some explanations out of him, but his best friend refused to pick up, leaving every call unanswered. Kaoru had tried doing the same with Tara, but he failed as well. It seemed that Kyoya and Tara didn't want any disturbances, didn't want anyone to remind them of each other. Hikaru's conversation with the ex-vice president was settled in his mind, echoing throughout his mind at random times. _I'm not the cold-hearted monster everyone makes me out to be. _Hikaru knew Kyoya could be cold sometimes, but a monster. No, he knew that Kyoya could never be such a thing.

Now, Hikaru looked through his mail, unmoved by the large sum of money he had to give for rent. Postcards from his mom, whom he had not made up with yet since the scary argument he had with her after the Ripley incident; a letter from Mei saying congratulations about getting together with Ripley and telling him about her engagement with Kasanoda. He'd have to send them an engagement gift and a card. He couldn't believe that those two were actually going to get married. Took them long enough…

He almost went into his apartment when a soft voice said, "Hey, Hikaru." He turned to see someone he thought he'd never speak to again: Sarah, the woman he'd taken on a date the night he signed up on Red Hue. She was a bit heavier now, but still pretty. Her auburn hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail, owl-like eyes staring at him. Sarah stood at her apartment door, the door wide open behind her. He could hear her television blaring from inside.

"Hey…Sarah. Thought you'd never talk to me again after-"

"I know. I wanted to apologize for that." After all this time? Wasn't it a little late for that? Hikaru bit back his words, though. He really didn't feel like causing anymore trouble. Sarah rubbed her bare arm nervously. "I was so rude to you and you didn't deserve my brother going after you. He's in jail again." Surprise, surprise. "And when I slapped you. I'm sorry about that, too."

Hikaru held up a hand and shook his head, "It's okay. No hard feelings."

Sarah gave a weak smile. "So, was that your girlfriend? The one with the glasses?"

"Yeah… Unbelievable, isn't it?"

"You looked happy with her."

"That's because I am."

They both looked at his apartment door when it opened. Hikaru could see Renee staring at him through the crack.

"What?" he hissed.

"Who's that?" she asked, pointing towards Sarah.

"My neighbor?"

"What's her name?"

"Sarah…"

Renee stared at him a couple moments before nodding once and saying, "That is all." And she closed the door with a click. Hikaru gazed at the door a few seconds before shaking his head confusedly, slowly looking back at Sarah. The woman had a small smile on her face, amused by the scene that just occurred.

"My girlfriend's roommate." he informed.

"I see." she said with a little laugh. "Well, I'm going to go back inside. I just wanted to apologize and say congrats."

"Yeah, thanks. See ya."

"See you." And she left, closing the door behind her gently.

**…\~/…**

MJ was standing in the middle of his apartment, arms crossed, looking miffed. The moment he walked in and saw her glare at him, Hikaru immediately knew there'd be trouble ahead. The golden-eyed twin set his mail on the table by the door, hanging up his coat. He sighed when he heard MJ clear her throat, trying to gain his attention.

"What do you want, MJ?" he asked, regretting the moment he gave her his attention.

"What was that about?" she interrogated.

"What was what about?"

Before she could answer, Dawn said, "MJ, don't…"

The red-headed roommate ignored her. "You, talking to that girl. What was that about?"

"We were doing exactly that: talking. What? I can't have a civil conversation with other women now?" he asked, going on the defensive.

"Sure, you can have civil conversations. You flirting with girls while talking to them, that's what I'm worried about." Seriously? This was what it was about?

"Why do you always assume that I'm flirting with other women? I messed up once, okay? Let it go."

"Sorry, but that's not in my nature." Figures as much that the most difficult one out of the roommates would be the one to hold grudges. Hikaru sighed again, running his hand down his face, only to wince when he accidently ran his hand over his now bandaged cheek, pain spiking throughout his cheek.

"Well, you can, alright? I haven't given you any reason to question my fidelity, so I don't know why you still don't trust me. I've been treating Ripley with respect and love, isn't that enough to convince you?"

"Oh, let's see," MJ started counting off her fingers. "That woman at Amaranth; you know, the one that was _all _over you? The woman you just got done talking to. Then, there was the woman last night at the club-"

"I rejected her, didn't I?"

"Yeah, but how can I trust you when so many women keep coming after you? How do I know that you won't find _one _of them attractive and leave Ripley for her? It hasn't been that long since you screwed her over. _That's _why I don't trust you yet."

"Look, I'm trying to make things work between me and Ripley, so don't get in my way." Wrong words to say…

"Excuse me? Ripley is my friend…no, wait, my _best _friend. And I'm going to protect her. And if protecting her is classified as "getting in your way" in your book, then that's _exactly _what I'm going to do. You are not going to tell me what to do. Period."

Why the hell did talking to Sarah have to set MJ on a tangent? Hikaru glared at Renee, who was just lazing on the couch, watching the scene before her unfold. "Why did you have to tell her I was talking to Sarah?! You're just causing trouble!"

"Hey," MJ shouted, clapping her hands together once. "Don't blame her! I already knew you were talking to that woman! She's looking out for Ripley, too!"

"You're not protecting her anymore! All you're doing is being a bitch to me every time I'm around you. If that's your definition of "protecting Ripley", then you need to go home because no one is too impressed with your methods." MJ looked taken aback, and Dawn and Erika let out gasps. Before MJ could answer, Hikaru added, "Look, you don't need to protect her anymore. I'm not going to slip up and say something awful to her or flirt with other women; I'm not going to do that! I _want _this relationship to work out. She…she means so much to me and I don't want to lose her…"

For once, MJ casted her eyes downward, instead of staring at him straight on. "I want to believe you," she said quietly. "Ripley is really happy with you, and I'm thrilled about that. But I've seen that happiness get yanked away from her, and it was by you. You completely threw her for a loop. She was so down, because of you. I'm not going to let her dive right into this relationship, something she's never experienced before, without someone looking out for her. It's going to take me longer than a week for me to trust you. And if you care about Ripley as much as you say you do, then you'll respect what I have to say and let me take my time in trusting you."

Hikaru eyed her warily, knowing that each and every one of Ripley's roommates had the ability to be devious, leading him to believe them and then completely mess with his head later. But MJ seemed so sincere and he knew that she cared about Ripley just as much as he did, so maybe she was being honest. But then again, MJ hadn't given him any reason to trust her either. She was eyeing him, the other Roomies staring at him as well, all waiting for his answer.

"I don't want to see her go through that again, either. That's why I'm trying hard to not slip up and make things alright. I just need some space, some time alone with her. We've barely gotten that this week, and that was the whole point of her visit. And I know that you're trying to…_protect _her, but can you not be so rude about it?"

It was his turn to wait for an answer. MJ stood there, her expression thoughtful. "You're right," she said finally. "I have been rude to you. How about this? When you come to stay with us at _our _apartment, I'll try not to be such a bitch. I promise I won't say nearly as many mean things to you."

"Good, that's all I ask for." He wasn't stupid. He could see the devious twinkle in her eye, the same look he and Kaoru would get when they were up to something mischievous.

The door opened, Ripley walking in with two bags of Subway sandwiches in her hands. "Hikaru, you wanted jalapenos, right? I know you like spicy food, so…" Ripley looked up when MJ grabbed one of the bags, peering in it. "We'll take our food to go, please!" MJ said, grinning.

"To go? Where are you going?"

MJ looked over at the other Roomies, winking when she said, "We're staying at a hotel tonight. I'm getting tired of hearing Renee whine about sleeping on Hikaru's crap-ass couch." MJ flicked her eyes in Hikaru's direction, giving him a sweet smile.

Maybe he was wrong. Maybe she really did want to make amends.

"Oh…o-okay, if you want. Here. This one has all your sandwiches in it."

"Thanks! Come on, guys, grab your bags! We're out!"

The four women filed out of the apartment, Ripley and Hikaru staring at their retreating backs. They could hear their conversation:

"Dibs on sleeping with Erika tonight!" MJ called out.

"What?! I don't want to be Renee's cuddle buddy!" Dawn exclaimed.

That's when Renee let out a maniacal laugh, but ended up choking on her spit, the laugh ending abruptly.

Ripley looked over at Hikaru, confused about the entire situation. "What just happened?"

"To be honest, I have _no _idea."

**…\~/…**

**October 12th, 6:15 P.M.:**

It was Friday, Ripley's last day with him before she had to leave the next morning. The Roomies and Host Club had given the couple a day to themselves, milking their last day together for all it was worth. They took a walk through Central Park, enjoying the sweet smells the October morning gave them; they rented more movies and sat in his apartment wrapped in each other's arms, watching the _Avengers_, _Gran Torino_, and _Reel Steel_; and they played video games from beginning to end. Now, they were attending a party that Nathan was holding at his café, food prepared by Tara and the staff. The café was bustling with activity and energy, just how Hikaru liked to see the place.

"At least it's not awkward like last time." Ripley commented.

"Yeah… Sorry about that." Hikaru said, giving a sheepish smile. All Ripley did in return was smile back. "Enjoying the food?" he asked.

"Uh, _yeah_. It's Tara's cooking, how can I not?"

Hikaru frowned, "She's not here…"

"Yeah, she left the moment Kyoya walked in."

"Still think they're going to fix things?"

"Yes, yes I do."

Hikaru looked around, taking in the sights. Hunny and Mori were huddled in the corner closest to the windows, talking amongst themselves. He watched as the bouncing child-like blonde hurried over to his wife, who was talking rather quietly with Haruhi and Tamaki, both women holding Reiko and Hunny's children. Mori stood by himself for about five minutes until MJ finally went over to him, attempting to make conversation, but looking frustrated after getting a string of one-word answers. Dawn, Kaoru, and Erika were talking to Luke Bennett, one of Nathan's chefs and the man that was obsessed with manga and anime, which probably spurred the conversation between the three. Was it Hikaru imagination or was Dawn's face redder than usual? And then there was Syd, Salem, and Cassidy, sitting in the other corner by the windows. They looked bored, which wasn't a surprise.

Hikaru could only smile to himself.

**…\~/…**

"Do you think Hika-chan loves her?" Hunny asked Mori, clutching his pink Usa-chan to his chest. The poor stuffed rabbit was getting so old and ragged, one of its ears tattered on the edges. Every time Hunny looked at Usa-chan, his eyes could only stare at the faded light brown stain Tamaki and the twins had caused when they spilled tea over his stuffed animal. He couldn't help but smile at it, though. Those were good times back then, and were beginning to become good times again. Though, it was sad that they couldn't spend every day together like they were once able to.

"Yeah."

"Do you think Rip-chan loves him?"

"Yeah."

"Do you think Hika-chan still has feelings for Haru-chan?"

"No."

"But as a friend, right?"

"Yeah."

Hunny smiled fondly at Usa-chan, fiddling with the rabbit's ears. "Good. I thought so, too." He looked up at the stoic man. "So, do you think everything's going back to normal?"

"No…"

"What? Why?!"

"Tara and Kyoya."

"Oh…" He'd forgotten about them. Hunny's light brown eyes, the color matching his name, centered on Kyoya, the black-haired man standing at the back of the café by himself. His eyes were casted downwards and Hunny had to wonder if Kyoya felt like he belonged at the moment. The party _was _being hosted by Tara's father, after all. Hunny jumped off his chair, beaming up at Mori. "I'm going to go talk to Reiko, 'kay?"

Mori only nodded, giving a small smile as he watched the blonde bounce over to his wife and kids. The smile slipped off his face, returning to its normal frown. It wasn't five minutes later when Ripley's friend, MJ, approached him, hands clasped behind her back. She stood beside him, silent for awhile, neither making a move to start conversation. Until MJ finally did.

"Hi, I'm MJ, one of Ripley's roommates. I don't think we've been properly introduced." she greeted. "What's your name?"

"Mori."

"Oh, you're Mori? So you're one of Hikaru's friends, then?"

"Yeah."

"That's cool. You must have a lot of patience to deal with him, heh." MJ went straight-faced after her attempt at humor failed. Mori didn't even crack a smile. "So, how long have you know him?"

"We were in the Host Club together."

"Well, I know that, but how long have you known him? Like what grade were you in when you met him?"

"Second year of high school."

Geez, couldn't this guy give longer answers? "So…what do you do? Like are you in college, are you working, or what?"

"I'm a lawyer." he said. Finally, something that she could talk about!

"Do you work prosecution or defense?"

"Defense."

"Have you had any high profile cases, or really complicated cases? Or can you not talk about them because of the whole client confidential clause thing?" MJ's brown-green eyes met his dark ones for a moment before he shifted his gaze away. Then, he said in his baritone voice, "What do you do?" Guess he couldn't talk about it _because _of the whole client confidential thing…

"Um… I'm currently going to college to get my degree in psychology so I can be a guidance counselor or a criminal profiler – I haven't quite decided yet. I also work at Barnes and Noble. It sounds like it wouldn't be an enjoyable job, but I love books, so it's actually pretty good. Do you like to read?" There, she'd given him plenty of things to talk about.

"Yeah."

Seriously? MJ was now finding it hard to smile. Here she was, trying to make conversation (quite difficult to do, she found out), and all he was giving her was one-worded answers. Mori looked down at her again, seeing her annoyance through her smile.

"Well, what do you like to read?" Oops…she didn't mean to say that through gritted teeth. She cleared her throat. "Personally, I'm a mystery kind of girl with a little romance thrown in. Do you like mysteries?"

"Yeah, and historical fictions."

"Oh, well, that's…cool." An awkward silence fell upon them; she hated awkward silences. "This is quite the gathering, isn't it?"

She couldn't help but notice the small smile he gave, his eyes directed towards Hikaru. MJ followed his gaze, seeing Hikaru and Ripley laughing about something. "It's been a long time since he's been happy." Mori said.

"Oh, really? Well, I'm…glad that he is. And of course, Ripley is too. You know, I remember in high school when she was having a really hard time…she couldn't really find herself, and I was just praying for her to make it through and get to the point in her life where she knew she would be happier, and well…here she is!" Why was she telling him all this? They were complete strangers, but for some reason, she felt compelled to tell someone what she was feeling, and here was Mori. "I knew she would make it. I love it when I'm right." she joked, laughing. He didn't laugh back. She stopped laughing.

"He really loves her. Give him a chance to prove himself." Mori said.

"I am giving him a chance! I was hard at first, but Ripley really wants me to like him, and I'll do anything for her. Ripley is more of a sister to me than my _blood _siblings."

Then, Mori did something unexpected. After a bout of silence between them, he placed one of his large hands on top of her head, ruffling her hair a bit. MJ's rolled up, trying to see his hand, but failed to see it. And when he smiled at her, she just couldn't ignore the blush that was creeping up her neck.

And he said was, "Good."

She really hoped he couldn't see her red face… "Right. Yeah. So…um…I'm going to go get something to drink, but uh, yeah…good talk." MJ ducked out from under his hand, turning to leave, but paused. She looked up at him, looking him straight in the eye. "Don't get me wrong. I know Hikaru's a good guy, but I have to protect Ripley first, so that's why I have to be hard on him. You look like you have the whole protective thing down, so am I right in assuming that you understand?"

He nodded once. "Yeah."

MJ gave a tight-lipped smile. "Okay, good. Glad we're on the same page." She turned away, but doubled back. "You know, you talk a LOT more than Kaoru said you would."

**...\~/…**

A cold wind swept through the café when the door opened, the bell tinkling. Everyone looked up to see who it was, only to see Tara, and the whole room went quiet. The blonde started to walk towards the back of the room where Kyoya was, paused when she noticed everyone's stares, then continued to stride to the back. Kyoya, who knew that she had come for him, met her halfway. They were only a foot apart and tense as ever.

"Tara, don't start anything." Kyoya warned. "If you want to talk, let's take it to the kitchen."

"No, I want everyone to see." she spat.

"I thought you didn't like to discuss personal matters in public?"

That's when Tara dropped to one knee, looking up at the man in front of her. "Kyoya, I'm so, so sorry about everything I said. I didn't mean it when I said I hated you because I don't. I love you, more than you can even imagine. I dread the thought of waking up and not seeing you there beside me. You're one of the best things that ever happened me, and I know I call you a bastard all the time, but you're my bastard, and I want to keep it that way." Tara took a deep breath and continued, even if Kyoya's face was as emotionless as ever. "I know I can't bear children and I know you want an heir, but…if you need to find another woman in your life to fulfill that wish, then so be it." Her voice was shaky and her eyebrows were scrunched together, not from anger, but from trying to keep the tears back. That's when she took something out of her pocket, a small velvet box, opening it to reveal a polished silver band.

"Kyoya Ootori, will you marry me?"

Gasps filled the room, the loudest coming from Nathan, who wrapped his arms around Angela's neck. "My daughter's going to get married!" he squealed, but his ecstatic expression turned grave. "My daughter _better _be gettin' married." he threatened, glaring at Kyoya.

Kyoya looked away from Nathan and back down to Tara, who looked borderline desperate. "Come on, I just made a fool of myself in front of everyone, so the least you can do is give me an answer."

After a minute of complete silence, Kyoya sighed, closing his eyes. "If I must, but only if I have to." He watched as Tara's eyes went wide, smirking when he watched her bottom lip quiver pathetically. "So, does that mean you…will?" she asked slowly.

He nodded, smirking.

That's when Tara's barrier broke. Her other knee dropped to the ground, covering her face with her hands as she sobbed. Kyoya dropped to one knee, taking her in his arms, feeling her arms wrap tightly around his neck, acting as if she was scared to let go. One of his arms wrapped around her waist, his other reaching behind her back, wrapping his hand with her ponytail, a habit he had formed long before they started dating. Kyoya continued that signature smile of his, laughing slightly.

"Tara, I don't care about producing an heir. I stopped caring about what my father said a long time ago when it came to you. I'd be perfectly fine with adopting children." He pulled back, cradling her head in his hands. "You're the strongest women I know, having to lose a sister and put up with all the pain and torment life has thrown at you. You can be foul-mouthed, stubborn, and violent most of the time, but you're one of the most intelligent, modest, honest women I know, and I cherish having you by my side every day."

The woman's watery eyes widened, tears streaming down her face. She clung to him again and he held her close to him.

"Besides, all those women my father introduced me to would've been too easy to handle, and I need a challenge, and you give that to me. And I'm sure that I'm the only man who can handle you."

Tara laughed through the sobbing.

"You're an idiot for thinking I'd leave you, moron." Kyoya said.

"Well, y-you're a d-dumbass for l-letting me think it, y-you bastard." Tara retorted weakly.

And despite all the tears, snot, and blotchy skin, Kyoya kissed her, kissed her tenderly and sincerely, the kind of kiss any man should give their fiancé.

**…\~/…**

**October 13th, 8:34 A.M.:**

"Are you sure you have to go?" Hikaru asked, handing Ripley her last bag. The woman nodded, closing the back door of her truck, turning towards him with a small smile. "You know you don't have to. You can always transfer here and live with me." he suggested, shrugging.

"I know, but I have family back in Illinois. Besides, you get to see what the country's like in a couple weeks."

"Yeah, and I have to deal with your roommates, too."

"And my brothers…"

"Oh…yeah…I forgot about them."

Ripley gave a weak smile, "I already miss you and I haven't even left yet."

"Don't worry; just a couple more weeks and I'll come visit."

Ripley hesitated for a moment, but she suddenly grabbed Hikaru's shoulders and pulled him into a kiss, forcing the man to bend at the waist into order to receive it. He held out his hands, still shocked from the suddenness of her action, and he couldn't help but get light-headed when she did so. When she pulled away, it was his turn to have his knees buckle beneath him, his whole body falling to the ground in an unconscious heap. Ripley's eyes grew wide, jaw dropping.

"We have _got _to _stop _doing this!"

* * *

**I'M BAAAAAACK! I'm so, so, SO sorry about how long its taken me to update, but I ran into a terrible bout of Writer's Block and school sort of got in the way. But, one day, I was watching The Help (wonderful movie and book; check them out if you haven't), and inspiration struck me. I suddenly became very determined to finish this. Anyways, when it comes to the poll, the Kaoru/OC story won, so I may tackle that this summer, but I'm going to be working on another project, too. I am going original. It is my goal to complete my dream of becoming a published author this year, or if not this year, then sometime early next year. So, in the future, if you're browsing through your local bookstore and happen to come across a book by Trinity Martens, give it a look!**

**So, getting the meaningless things out of the way, let's talk about the fanfic! Hikaru and Ripley, did I write them okay or was it kind of 'meh'? And Kyoya/Tara, plenty of them in this chapter, I must say. I'll be honest, the conversation between Ripley and Tara sort of made me bawl like a baby. But it was a happy ending for Kyara (is that an okay coined name?), right?! And I believe I started a bit of romance between a couple of other characters. So, overall, was it a good chapter? It was a long-ass chapter, I can assure you that. So, review and give me your input! Three more chapters, readers!**

**Author's Note-Fin**


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